Maryland regulator pushes back on accelerated sports betting launch
SWARC calls on legislators to push forward launch timetable to take advantage of NFL season
Maryland’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) has called for legislative intervention to ensure the state does not lose out on potential NFL revenue by delaying its sports betting launch.
In a four-page letter to the Maryland legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review (AELR), SWARC chairman Thomas Brandt Jr outlined two long-running administrative holdups to a potential launch in the state, calling for these to be cleared immediately.
The first of the identified holdups is a 30-day public comment period on regulations published by SWARC on August 26 followed by an open meeting of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission to hear comments from the public on the proposed rules due to take place on September 9.
The second identified roadblock on the path to Maryland’s launch is the sign off by the committee on an already-carried out disparity study into whether SWARC needs to make extra effort to include minority- and female-owned businesses in the state’s sports betting industry.
The analysis, concluded on August 19, found that SWARC is not able to apply any race- and/or gender-conscious criteria in its evaluation of applicants for sports betting licenses.
In his letter, Brandt calls on these outstanding hurdles to be signed off by the committee as soon as possible and a final decision to be made on when to launch sports betting in the state.
Brandt suggests the launch take place potentially by the NFL season, arguing that the state needs to be benefit from the high seasonality.
“SWARC has received many inquiries from prospective sports wagering applicants and the public asking when the process will move forward,” the SWARC director wrote.
“Our staff have answered these inquiries by explaining the extensive due diligence and evidence of responsible controls necessary to comply with Maryland’s Sports Wagering Law. After much work, we are nearly at the finish line, but we need your help.
“The sports wagering industry is “seasonal,” and the football season (September through to the Super Bowl in February) annually generates much more activity than other times of the year.”
Brandt continued: “Thus, unless we move quickly, Marylanders will miss access to mobile wagering on the 2022 football season, and the state will miss out on the related revenue. SWARC is eager to move forward and complete this process.”
Brandt’s calls are not the first to be made regarding a push forward of the launch of sports betting in the Free State, with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan questioning in June what he called the “inexcusable” delay in getting to launch stage, despite his sign off of enabling legislation in 2021.
“Marylanders have been waiting for mobile sports wagering for more than a year since the Sports Wagering Law was passed,” Brandt explained.
“The blueprint for Maryland’s future fund is awaiting the revenue that sports wagering will contribute to public schools. But none of this can happen until AELR acts on our proposed emergency regulations. Again, on behalf of SWARC, I respectfully request that AELR render its decision promptly,” he added.
The new NFL season begins on September 8.