Governor Larry Hogan visited Live! Casino & Hotel and Horseshoe Casino Baltimore to celebrate the official launch of sports betting in Maryland after placing the first sports bet in state history yesterday at MGM National Harbor. The governor was joined by lottery and gaming officials, elected leaders, and sports legends to mark the occasion.
Today marks the culmination of more than a year of effort to get sports betting up and running here in the State of Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “In addition to allowing Marylanders to bet on the NFL, March Madness, and so much more, sports betting will also help to keep more dollars in-state and will provide another critical revenue source for public education.”
At Live! Casino, the governor bet on Navy to beat Army in tomorrow’s Army-Navy Game at MetLife Stadium, and at Horseshoe, he bet on the Maryland Terrapins beating Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Yesterday at MGM National Harbor, the governor placed the state’s first sports bet for the Washington Football Team and the Baltimore Ravens to both appear in the Super Bowl.
After a referendum was approved by Maryland voters, HB 940 was passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Hogan last May, which officially legalized sports betting in the State of Maryland.
A total of seven facilities have been awarded licenses so far, which are among the 17 entities that were designated in the sports wagering law. Additional locations and the launch of mobile sports wagering are anticipated in the coming year.
Maryland’s sportsbooks will contribute 15% of their revenue to education in the state. This is in addition to the casino lockbox initiative enacted by Governor Hogan, which requires a further investment of $4.4 billion more for Maryland schools.
