- The Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover, and MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill saw their sports betting license applications forwarded for final approval.
- The gambling market in Maryland saw an increase in revenue for August.
- These three casinos are awaiting Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) to review their applications for sportsbook licensure.
BALTIMORE – As sports betting gets closer to becoming a reality in Maryland, the entire casino gaming market has seen a major spike in revenue.
Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) have reported an increase in gambling revenue for August 2021 year-over-year.
In addition, three major Maryland casinos in Baltimore, Hanover, and Oxon Hill have seen their sports betting license applications move to the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) for final approval.
Maryland Gambling Market Expanding
Those gambling in Maryland were active in August, with the MLGCA reporting $168,459,348 in gaming revenue from its six casinos.
This is an increase of 12.6% compared to August 2020, which suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic and only had casinos operating at 50% capacity. The Old Line State saw $71,284,480 and sent $51,789,625 to the Education Trust Fund.
The top casino in terms of revenue for August was the MGM National Harbor with 2,167 slot machines and 201 table games raking in $67,421,209 in August.
In second place was the Live! Casino & Hotel with 3,749 slot machines and 190 table games seeing $59,506,465 in revenue.
Rounding up the top three is the Horseshoe Casino who has 1,530 slot machines and 137 table games reporting $18,001,130.
These three casinos are also the three that saw their sports betting licenses sent through for final approval.
Sportsbooks Coming Soon
With these casino operations seeing their betting licenses sent to SWARC, local players are only one step away from seeing the sports betting market officially launch.
“We’re pleased to have these three applicants approved and move them along to the SWARC,” said John Martin, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director. “Our team is diligently implementing the sports wagering law, and we’re one step closer to the first in-person wagers, which we hope will take place by late fall.”
Depending on when these sportsbooks get approval, sports gambling fans can expect the Maryland sports betting market to launch in early 2022. The entire regulated gambling world of Maryland is about to skyrocket even further in the coming months.