Part of knowing how to become a local bookie is knowing your market. While there are a lot of sports bettors who prefer going to casinos and retail sportsbooks, there is a bigger market share of sports bettors who prefer to do things online. This is why online sportsbooks are starting to capture a bigger market in the US. And with the current threat of the Coronavirus, the number of people going online for their sports betting and online gaming needs will only increase. Will Maryland’s New Sports Betting Law accommodate this?
Maryland’s legislators have been pushing for a local sports betting law for some time. But the details on who will get licenses and so on are causing debate within the Senate. But on Wednesday, the Maryland’s Senate General Assembly held their last day of session. SB4 betting bill was passed.
Maryland’s New Sports Betting Law
But why the sudden passage of the bill, one may ask. The bill is actually a new version that does not give detail on who will be permitted to operate a sportsbook in Maryland. This may sound very vague, especially for those who can make their own sportsbooks though a bookie pay per head provider. The original version allows for sports betting in the state’s casinos, racetracks. Plus a few other venues, and online sports betting. The debate was in who gets to offer sports betting- with some legislators worried that the licenses will only be granted to preferred operators, without a fair chance for other people to bid.
With the new bill, the state will conduct what they call a disparity study. This will determine on which segments, such as racial minorities or women, do not have opportunities in the sports betting industry. The result of this study can highly affect who can hold future licenses.
Of course, everything will still depend on Maryland residents who will vote to approve any plan to legalize sports betting. This will be on the ballot in November (pending any changes due to the Coronavirus). Currently, all gambling institutions in the state are temporarily on lock down. Right now, more than ever, online wagering is a very popular option for many today.
You must be logged in to post a comment.