Maryland
Despite a rich history in gaming throughout the lottery and horse racing, Maryland was a late bloomer in regards to casino gambling. However, by passing a law to allow slot machines 2008, Maryland set the wheels in motion to have casinos built across the state.
The state’s progress in casino gaming is promising, but from an internet perspective Maryland is not a great location for sports bettors to live. While rarely enforced, Maryland’s laws call for harsh penalties against anyone who puts any sort of bet outside of a casino in the state.
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Gambling Laws in Maryland
The Maryland Slot Machines Amendment was on the ballot at Maryland on November 4, 2008. The measure gave the state the authority to issue up to five video lottery permits and set around 15,000 slot machines throughout the state at five different locations. If this law passed, Maryland became the 38th state to permit live casino gambling or slot machines.
In 2012, gambling rights in Maryland were expanded even further. One extra casino was approved to be built in addition to the five which were approved, and table games were allowed to be introduced within these establishments. While prior to these casinos only served as slot parlors, they could now work more like standard casinos to include table games and poker rooms.
The legalization and growth of those casinos has been a welcome change to the Maryland Code as betting out of those legal casinos is strictly prohibited. Under Penal Code 12-102,”a person may not wager, wager, or bet” from the state of Maryland. Bettors which are caught and convicted are guilty of a misdemeanor that is subject to 6-12 weeks in prison and a fine of $200 to $1000.
Sports Betting at Maryland
Sports betting is illegal in the state of Maryland. When most states offer you considerably harsher penalties for bookmaking as opposed to betting, Maryland’s state laws do not actually make particular reference of bookmaking. Instead, anyone who’s partaking in gaming whether they are gambling or getting a bet are by the letter of the law committing a misdemeanor.
Online Betting
Offshore sportsbooks do not fall under the authority of Maryland’s state laws since they are not in the state or the nation. Consequently, many of them still offer online gambling to Maryland residents despite being illegal in the state.
There are no specific mentions of online gambling anywhere in the Maryland Code, but it would be difficult to argue against its illegality when all types of”gambling, wagering, and gambling” are deemed illegal and punishable by misdemeanor by the state. While this legislation is not a heavily controlled one, residents of Maryland have to understand the dangers that come with placing bets in the state and decide for themselves whether or not they would like to take those risks. With no other sports betting avenues available, online betting is the only workable option Maryland sports bettors possess.
Poker and Casino at Maryland
In 2010, the Hollywood Casino in Perryville opened, getting the first casino in Maryland to open its doors to the public. Ocean Downs in Berlin followed in 2011, the Rocky Gap Casino Resort and the Maryland Live! Casino opened in 2013 and the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore opened in 2014. In 2016, the MGM National Harbor will start in Prince George’s County.
The Horseshoe Baltimore has a World Series of Poker themed poker area, but the largest poker room in the state by far is the Maryland Live! Poker Room with More than 50 tables. Both places offer tournaments and cash games.
Online Poker
As is the case with online sports gambling, many internet poker rooms will take company from Maryland residents since they aren’t under the jurisdiction of this state of Maryland. Playing online poker is illegal in the state of Maryland under the definition that any bet or wager is, even though poker isn’t mentioned specifically.
Poker players in Maryland need to weigh the pros and cons of playing online illegally or playing live in the state’s legal casinos. Live games are somewhat more limited, but players do not need to worry about being captured either.
Gambling Options in Maryland
Horse racing is alive and well in the state of Maryland with two harness race tracks in Ocean Downs and Rosecraft Raceway and three standard race tracks at Laurel Park Racecourse, Maryland State Fairgrounds (as soon as the fair is in town) and the Pimlico Race Course. Baltimore’s Pimlico track hosts the Yearly Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Maryland Lottery
The Maryland Lottery has been created in 1973 and is the fourth largest contributor to the nation’s market. The state provides in-state drawings, multi-state drawings including Powerball and Mega Millions, and scratch ticket games.
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