Rhode Island may be the only state to introduce legal online gambling this year
Maryland lawmakers failed to pass a proposal during the 2024 legislative session to allow voters to legalize real-money online casinos. The bill to legalize digital slots and table games was not included in the state’s budget earlier this month, nor was it listed on Monday’s General Assembly legislative agenda, effectively terminating legalization efforts despite previous momentum.
Maryland’s hopes of legalizing iCasinos this year have been dashed for the proposal to appear on the ballot in 2024. Even if voters approved the measure, it would still take several years for iCasinos to become a reality, meaning that Maryland residents may not be able to legally gamble online until at least 2027.
The iGaming proposal was defeated due to opposition from brick-and-mortar casinos and concerns with problem gaming. Online casino backers argue that digital gaming has little impact on brick-and-mortar revenues, citing multiple studies and current iGaming market data to support their claims.
Some policymakers are against iGaming because of concerns about gambling addiction. However, supporters argue that a regulated market could generate tax revenue to fund problem gambling services. They also point out that Marylanders are already gambling on unregulated sites that offer no protections and generate no state revenue.
Maryland and many other states in the US have shown support for regulated sports betting. However, the same cannot be said for legal online casinos, which haven’t been as successful. Only a few states in the US permit online gambling with real money. Of these, only New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia have fully competitive markets.
iGaming supporters hope for a renewed effort, aided by newly elected officials in statehouses and changing national demographics. They believe that legal gambling is becoming more politically acceptable and that iGaming will eventually become more widely accepted.
