Gambling In Maryland Laws

Way back in the 1800s Maryland and most other states had extremely liberal attitudes towards gambling. In the 1860s, Maryland made its first major foray into the world of gambling when the then Governor of Maryland, Oden Bowie decided to build a race course in Baltimore.

Maryland Problem Gambling Resources in Maryland. If gambling is causing a problem in your life we encourage you to ask questions, gather information and conduct research on the type of help that is most appropriate for your situation. This information is intended to be a starting point—it is not a complete list of information or services.

Is Gambling Legal In Maryland

• Maryland Gambling Laws The gambling laws in the Oyster State used to consist of very loose definitions of what is considered “illegal gambling” and “gambling devices”. There were two ridiculous cases in which a pinball machine and a vending machine were designated a gambling device.
• As is often the case with states that have aggressive gambling laws, Maryland does permit many forms of state-sanctioned and regulated gambling. One example: Charitable and fraternal organizations (as defined by statute) meeting certain conditions may operate slot.
• The State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency regulates gaming operations at Maryland cainos Maryland Video Lottery Program (slots gambling), & table games.The process by which licenses were issued to operate video lottery facilities in those jurisdictions, however, was conducted by the Video Lottery Facility Location Commission.Current law also allows video lottery terminal licensees to.

Since the 1950’s gambling has been on the rise across Maryland and now residents can enjoy offshore and domestic options. Efforts have also been made to introduce state based Maryland online gambling, though currently, the only options remain brands located outside of the United States.

General Gambling Laws In Maryland

Gambling laws in most states specifically state what gambling is and have a very specific definition of what constitutes gambling. In Maryland however, the law has a very broad definition of gambling. Maryland law simply states that it is illegal to wager, bet or gamble. The law does not define any of the three terms – wager, bet, and gamble – in detail.

Another major difference between the gambling laws in Maryland and other states is that in Maryland, the law does not distinguish between those engaged in playing and those engaged in conducting the gambling activity. In fact, playing a gaming device for anything of value is prohibited by Maryland law. Hence even playing poker is a violation of Maryland gambling laws. A deck of cards on a table can be a gaming device under Maryland gambling laws which define a gaming device as essentially anything that is involved or used in a game involving wagering or betting.

Other Maryland Gambling Pages

Maryland’s Position On Social Gambling

There is no special exemption for social gambling. Some counties in the state also have local laws that regulate gambling. Bingo and other limited forms of social gambling are permitted at senior centers in some counties. Violations of the gambling laws is a misdemeanor offense and conviction can result in a jail term ranging from 6 months to one year or a fine between $200 and $1000.

Land Based Gambling In Maryland

The broad definition of gambling does not mean that all forms of gambling are illegal in the State of Maryland. Maryland has licensed casinos as well as a state lottery. The state lottery was started in 1973. In 1996, the state became the first state to offer the Mega Millions lottery.

Today the Maryland lottery offers 6 single state games and two multi-state lotteries – Powerball and Mega Millions. Pari-mutuel wagering and a host of charitable focused gambling are also permitted in the state. It is possible to play online poker and/or online casino games in Maryland without breaking the state’s gambling law.

Laws Concerning Gaming Events In Maryland

A qualified organization can legally conduct a gaming event for its exclusive benefit if no one is benefited financially from the event or receives any proceeds from the event for personal use or benefit. A qualified organization can also offer prizes in the form of money or merchandise at such gaming events using any gaming device.

The definition of a gaming event under Maryland gambling law includes bingo games, carnival, bazaar, raffle, benefit performances and other events at which a gaming device is used. The following organizations are considered as qualified organizations under Maryland law and can legally conduct a gaming event:

• religious organizations
• fraternal organizations
• war veterans’ organizations
• civic organizations
• charitable organizations
• volunteer fire companies
• organizations specifically authorized to conduct such events

Maryland Bingo Laws

Where Does Maryland Stand On Legal Online Gambling?

So far no law has been passed by Maryland to regulate or specifically prohibit online gambling. Earlier this year, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley vetoed a plan by the state’s Lottery and Gaming Control Agency to introduce online lottery. Maryland is one of the few states to allow telephone wagering on horse races. The state also allows limited-stakes card rooms.

There are currently not any state-based or US-based online gambling options for Maryland residents. However, there are multiple legal, secure and legitimate online gambling sites that are located, licensed and regulated outside of the United States. These sites offer high-quality options including Maryland online casinos and sports betting sites accepting Maryland players. While online poker seems to be the most accepted potential option to be legalized in the US by most states, currently the only Maryland online poker brands remain to be those located and regulated outside of the United States.

Federal Statutes Affecting Maryland Online Gambling Laws

There are no federal laws that regulate online gambling in the United States. In fact, there is no federal law that makes it illegal to participate in online gambling in the United States. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 does not players, PASPA has been repealed and the Federal Wire Act regulates online sports betting to ensure that no interstate betting takes place.

Maryland Online Gambling Laws FAQS

What Are The Consequences For Illegal Gambling In Maryland?

Being arresting and charged with simple gambling will result in a misdemeanor charge that can land you up to 6 months in jail and $1000 dollars in fines. Aggravated gambling in the state of Maryland is a felony charge that carries a much steeper price. These laws are aimed more at illegal operators as opposed to individual bettors.

Is Social Poker Allowed In Maryland?

Yes. Social poker was legalized as part of HB127 in 2016. There is a rule that there can’t be more than $1,000 up for grabs at one time. Whether or not this condition is enforced by the local government is another story, but this is what the law says.

What Forms Of Gambling Are Legal In Maryland?

There are state-licensed casinos in Maine along with a state lottery that was started in the early 70’s. Pari-mutuel and charitable gambling have also been permitted under specific conditions.

What is Pari-Mutuel Gambling?

Literally meaning “mutual stake”, pari-mutuel gambling is a form of wagering that is most commonly used at race tracks all over the world. In this form of wagering all the punters place wagers against each other instead of the house as the casinos do. The pickers of the first three finishers in the races split the winnings according to their bets and the operator merely takes a small percentage.

What is Charitable Gambling?

A common exception made to gambling laws by most states in the United States. In most states and including Maryland, charitable organizations are legally allowed to host gambling related events to raise funds for the social programs and community efforts. In Maryland, an organization that wishes to pursue gambling events to raise funds to non-profit causes must do so at no monetary profit to any individual outside the winnings of the games and under some specific guidelines.

Has The State Examined Online Gambling Legislation?

Maryland representatives have commented on the possibility of domestic online casinos and poker sites. However, the technicalities between the legal and online platform conditions are complex and require some serious delegation.

Has Maryland Passed Sports Betting Legislation?

No. A bill was tabled at the end of the last legislative session that would have legalized some forms of domestic regulated sports wagering. The legislature does not reconvene until January 2019. It is possible that MD lawmakers will approach the topic of legal sports betting once things get going again.

Maryland Gambling Laws

We have also included a link for our visitors who desire to review the exact laws and statutes surrounding Maryland gambling laws. You can find the laws in their original language here: State of Maryland Gambling Laws.

**If you are seeking a professional interpretation of any law or statute, we recommend that you contact a lawyer. The same holds true for visitors seeking legal advice. We are online gambling consultants and are not trained in how to interpret laws or provide legal advice. We do not hold any type of law degree or certifications and do not claim to be lawyers.

• Year Maryland Regulated Gambling: Racing (1870), Lottery (1972), Bingo (1952), Casinos (2008)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: $900 million
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $2.8 billion
• Maryland Gambling Age: Bingo, racing and lottery: 18 Casinos: 21
• Smoking ban: Smoking is not permitted in any indoor businesses in Maryland.
• Maryland Online gambling: Horse racing

While Maryland casinos were legalized later than other states in the region, is has no aversion to gambling. Horse racing dates back to the 19^th Century. The regulation was originally left up to the city governments before pari-mutuel betting went online early in the 20^th Century. The state permits charities to offer bingo and other games of chance.

Maryland casinos were not approved until 2008. Resort casinos and some racetracks may offer Atlantic City style gambling.

Paying Gambling Taxes in Maryland

Do you have to pay taxes on your gambling winnings? OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.

Maryland Casinos Map & Guide

• Rocky Gap Casino
• Horseshoe Casino
• Hollywood Casino
• Maryland Live!
• MGM National Harbor

• Number of B&M Casinos: 5
• Number of Poker Rooms: 4
• Number of Indian Casinos: 0

Types of Maryland Online Gambling Allowed

There are two forms of legal Maryland online gambling. Off-track horse racing is permitted on apps and registered websites. The main companies that accept this type of pari-mutuel action are TVG, XpressBet, and TwinSpires.

Maryland wanted to legalize fantasy sports by the end of 2015, but was repealed by state legislation in 2016. The state adopted language in the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that exempts fantasy sports. This is thought to give the green light to daily fantasy sports sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo!, and CBS Sports. Even the most conservative daily fantasy sites accept players from Maryland.

Types of Live Maryland Gambling

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: Yes
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

Horse racing is the oldest form of Maryland gambling. There were once six tracks in the state. There are now just two that offer scheduled races with pari-mutuel betting. They are Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park. Pimlico is home to the Preakness race, which is part of the Triple Crown.

There are two types of games of chance widely available in Maryland. Charities may offer bingo and raffles. Bingo rules are liberal. Raffles may only be operated twice per year. Local governments set the licensing and location rules for charitable gambling in Maryland.

A state lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets. These are available at convenience stores throughout the state.

There are five Maryland casinos. They are Rocky Gap Casino, Horseshoe Casino, Hollywood Casino, Maryland Live!, and Ocean Downs. MGM National Harbor will open in late 2016. These Maryland casinos offer all the same games found in New Jersey or Nevada. These popular casino games include slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and card games banked by the house.

Maryland Gambling Laws

Maryland gambling laws are strict for activities that are not specifically legal. Possession of gambling devices is illegal for residents. This also applies to vessels that may go out into international waters. Charities must register with local authorities. Charitable games permitted are paddlewheels, wheel of fortune, raffles and bingo. Charities may hold no more than two raffles per year. Bingo players may not purchase more than 54 tickets in a session.

Maryland casinos are allowed to operate if legalized through a local referendum. Each region may only have one gambling operation. There are six jurisdictions that voted to allow casinos in Maryland. The Maryland casinos are located in:

• Allegany County
• Baltimore
• Cecil County

• Anne Arundel County
• Worcester County
• Prince George’s County

Maryland casinos may offer a wide variety of games. These casino games include slots, video poker, live poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, baccarat, and other card games. There is a 67 percent tax rate on slots. This is the highest in the country. The tax on table games and live poker is 20 percent.

Horseracing is legal in Maryland. Greyhound racing is not. Racetracks may offer live racing and race books. Registered interstate racing companies may accept bets over mobile apps and the Internet in Maryland.

The state lottery may sell scratch-off tickets and hold lotto drawings. It may participate in interstate lotto drawings. Tickets may not be sold over the Internet.

Maryland is one of two states, the other being Kansas, that specifically legalized fantasy sports. The state adopted the fantasy sports exemption in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2012. There is some debate as to whether the language applies to daily fantasy sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. However, in 2016 this gambling law was repealed by the Maryland state legislation, making it once again illegal.

The minimum gambling age in Maryland is 18 years for lotteries, racing, and charitable gaming. Maryland casino gamblers must be 21 years or older.

List of Maryland Casinos

Beyond the hundreds of lottery retailers and bingo halls, there are just eight places to gamble in Maryland. Laurel Downs and Pimlico Race Course are the two racetracks. There are 146 days of live racing between these two venues. Each also has a race book for simulcast betting.

There are five Maryland casinos open for business in the state. A sixth is currently under construction. You can use the information below to find a location, or use our Maryland casinos map to help guide yourself to the nearest one.

History of Maryland Gambling

Horse racing dates back to the mid 18^th Century. The Maryland Jockey Club was founded in 1743. Its first races were held at Pimlico Race Course. It is still open today and home of The Preakness, one of the three Triple Crown races. Racing became specifically legal under state law in 1870. That is when pari-mutuel betting pools were created in Maryland under a state racing commission. Regulation of the specific tracks was left to the county or city where the track was located until 1912 when the state took control.

Maryland approved off-track betting in 1988. Simulcasting of races was only legal at the time when live racing was not operating on a track. In 1993, the state expanded off-track betting at any time the facility was open for business.

Voters approved a state lottery in November 1972. This was done through a constitutional referendum. The first ticket was sold on May 15, 1973. Early drawings were lottos of the Pick 3 and Pick 4 variety. The first scratch-off ticket was not sold until February 10, 1976. Scratch-off tickets are bigger sellers than lotto games today.

Casinos were approved through a statewide constitutional referendum in November 2008. Casinos operate under the oversight of the Maryland Lottery. Hollywood Casino in Perryville was the first to open on September 17, 2010. Ocean Downs opened the following year. Maryland Live! opened in 2012. Rocky Gap Casino opened in 2013. Horseshoe Casino launched in Baltimore in 2014. MGM National Harbor was awarded the state’s resort gaming license. It will open in 2016.

Maryland does not permit online gambling. It has been home to several busts related to the acceptance of internet bets. The Maryland office of the Department of Justice led busts like Operation Texas Hold’em where funds were distributed to local police departments for their participation.

The Linwood Payment Solutions sting operation originated in Maryland through the Department of Justice. This is where a bogus processor was created to handle payments for offshore online gambling sites and eWallets. This took down UseMyWallet and some sports betting sites in May 2011, just six weeks after Black Friday. This was referred to as Blue Monday in the online gambling world. Companies that survived saw their domain names seized and were forced to buy ones in other countries.

Calvin Ayre and two other officers of Bodog were indicted by the same Department of Justice office in February 2012. The Bodog.com domain was seized at the time. U.S. players had already been moved to Bovada.lv by that time as the company saw the risk of its .com domains. None of the three indicted ever traveled to the U.S. to fight the charges. Calvin Ayre was on the Top 10 List of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He dropped off the list even though he is still at-large.

Maryland was the first state to expressly legalize fantasy sports in 2012. The state legislature passed the exemption in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. This made it clear that fantasy sports contests were legal in the state.

Maryland Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Race books are permitted at the two racetracks in Maryland.

Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Downs are the two pari-mutuel tracks in Maryland.

Off-track betting and fantasy sports are legal over the Internet and on mobile devices.

All fantasy sites accept Maryland players. The largest are DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports and Yahoo! Even conservative sites like StarsDraft and Star Fantasy Leagues accept Maryland players.

The most popular off-track betting sites that accept players from Maryland are TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica.

There are six casinos approved in Maryland. Five are open as of March 2016.

Slots, video poker, live poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker and baccarat are among the available games.

The minimum Maryland gambling age is 18 years for bingo, racing and lottery, and 21 years for casinos.