Legislatures in Maryland have been pushing for online casino legalization but will have to wait as SB 267 has yet to receive action and move to the House for further consideration.
Maryland currently has six domestic casino locations that offer multiple casino games, including table games, slots, card games, and electronic casino games.
SB 267 Details
Senator Ron Watson has proposed Maryland’s online gambling bill. SB 267 was slated to tax iCasino income at 15% with a $500k annual licensing fee. Senator Watson estimated that online casinos could produce $100 million yearly in tax revenue.
Senator Watson also wanted Maryland to enter the Multi-state Internet Gaming Agreement, where MD players could compete in online poker pools with players from Deleware, Michigan, Nevada, and New Jersey.
The state of Maryland currently allows mobile sports betting but retail casino locations; however, those establishments are not allowed to offer online casino games.
What Is Next For MD Online Casino Gambling Bills?
While SB267 is still alive, it does face an uphill challenge since it did not pass to the House before crossover day. The online casino bill will once again be revisited before the legislative session is scheduled to conclude on April 10th, and if it fails to pass into the House by that time, it will be 2024 before the bill can once again be revisited.
Can MD Residents Gamble Online?
As mentioned above, Maryland allows online sports wagering, but domestic casinos cannot offer their services online. However, even though domestic casinos cannot offer online gambling, legitimate casinos outside the state can offer their services to Maryland residents. While some more prominent reputable brands stay away from Maryland (Bovada, SlotsLV, Café Casino) due to their legal standing, other sites offer services and allow players to gamble at their own risk.
What Online Casino Games Can MD Residents Play?
The online casinos operating for Maryland players offer all sorts of online casino games, including video slots, baccarat, video poker, blackjack, keno, and many other traditional casino games. Newer online casino sites now offer live dealer games where players can sit at a table and interact with the dealer via a live video feed.
In addition to casino games, online casino sites offer perks to new and returning players in the form of bonuses and promotions. The “welcome” bonus has become standard among online casino sites and is typically the best bonus available to account holders. To take things up a bit, some online casinos have recently started accepting Bitcoin and popular altcoins that offer bonus options for new and returning players.