Maryland sports betting is officially underway, the foremost legal wager beingness placed at MGM National Harbor this afternoon, Dec. 9.

After months of country officials seemingly dragging their feet, sportsbooks licenses experience been formally issued to quintet of the state’s half-dozen land-based casinos. Live! Casino Hotel Maryland inward House of Hanover nigh BWI airport, and Horseshoe Baltimore Casino testament debut their sportsbooks tomorrow.

Maryland Gov. Larry Ben Hogan (R) and NFL fable Joe Theismann placed the foremost bets at National Harbor’s BetMGM Sportsbook.

“Today marks the culmination of years of exertion to acquire sports betting upwards and running hither inwards the country of Maryland,” Hogan declared.

Sports betting licenses for casinos cost a one-time $500,000 upfront fee. Sportsbook 144 revenue will live dependent to a 15 percent tax. Like expansion slot simple machine and table spirited receipts, the land will apportion the sports betting taxes for public education.

Our new @BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge is officially curtain raising just inwards time to get hold of bets for the gamey this Th night.

The waiting area features:

group A 360-degree jumbotron over the bar

type A 110 ft wraparound projection screen w/ arena seating

Mobile food for thought & fuddle ordering right wing to your seat pic.twitter.com/gITq7UBGHL

— MGM National Harbor (@MGMNatlHarbor) December 7, 2021

Minority Participation

Maryland’s sports betting laws are some of the to the highest degree coordination compound of the 33 states that get passed regulations to govern gambling activity.

Along with sportsbook privileges reserved for the state’s half dozen casinos, Maryland’s sports betting natural law creates opportunities for small- and minority-owned businesses to participate. State regulatory officials explained that the delay inward issuing casinos their sportsbook licenses was part due to some members inward the Sports Wagering Application and Review Commission (SWARC) believing that the secondary sportsbook rights for mom-and-pop shops should live granted at the same time.

SWARC nonetheless expedited the issuance of the sports play permits to the casinos after the land-based gaming properties uttered defeat with the tedious process. But SWARC seemingly also hastened its intragroup reviews of sportsbook applications for those little businesses.

First Women-Owned Sportsbook

In conjunctive with the set in motion of cassino sportsbooks, SWARC proclaimed this week that the firstly issuance of a sports betting Trachinotus falcatus for a woman-owned business. It’s the firstly of its kind inwards the story of the United States.

SWARC proclaimed the commendation of sports betting operations for Long Shot’s eating place and betting parlor inward Frederick. The establishment is to the full woman-owned.

I am thrilled to be a trailblazer for a diverse and successful sports betting industry,” said Long Shot’s possessor Alyse Cohen.

Long Shot’s has been an off-track betting (OTB) readiness since its gap inwards 2019. Under Maryland’s sports betting law, such licensed establishments must partner with a sportsbook operator that is also licensed to carry on internet sports gambling. MD tin can emerge as many as 60 mobile/online sportsbook licenses to firms the like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars Sportsbook.

Long Shot’s did non unveil a third-party partner. Before the eatery tin can establish standalone sports betting kiosks, net approval must allay come up from the Old Line State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.

Big Ten First

In related sports betting news, the University of Free State became the 1st Big Ten school day to harbinger a sports betting partnership. The Terps and PointsBet experience struck a business deal that testament tolerate the sportsbook society to hold a presence at the college’s rest home athletic events.

PointsBet is gaining market place get at in Maryland through its partnership with the Riverboat on the Potomac, which was the secondly and only other little byplay to follow granted initial sports betting privileges past SWARC. The OTB and events facility is minority-owned.