Maryland Democrat submits second online casino bill in fresh push

Maryland state delegate Vanessa Atterbeary has filed a new bill to push for online casino to be legalized in the Old Line State. 

House Bill 17 has been assigned to the Ways and Means Committee, of which Atterbeary is the chair, ahead of the legislative session’s start on January 8. 

The bill outlines how the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MSLGCC) would be entrusted to issue licenses and regulate the sector, as well as permitting Maryland to enter multi-jurisdictional internet gaming agreements. 

The MSLGCC would issue as many as five licenses over the course of two rounds, while the potential regulator would also be able to grant licenses to a video lottery operator or a bookmaker sports wagering facility license. 

Any license holder must pledge an investment of at least $5m towards a live gaming studio in Maryland within the licenses’ first term. 

This marks the second time that Atterbeary has pushed for online casino legalization in Maryland, though her initial attempt in 2024 fell short. 

After the Ways and Means Committee mulled over the topic during a five-and-a-half-hour session, the Democratic politician saw her House Bill 1319 pass the house via a vote of 92-43 but failed to make any progress in the Senate. 

The topic failed to come up during 2024’s final state legislative session on April 8, after a number of amendments were made to its original version.

Those included a ban on credit cards to fund accounts and a proposed tax rate of 55% for online slots and table games, alongside live dealer games at a rate of 20%. 

There was an online casino bill in the Senate last year courtesy of Senator Ron Watson, with his proposal receiving a hearing in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee but faced strong backlash from multiple land-based casinos amid fears the plans would hinder revenue for land-based companies.