Five casinos in the state have been approved for in-person sports betting licenses.

Maryland residents and visitors are just days away from being able to place bets on their favorite sporting events. On November 18, the Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission voted to approve licenses for five casinos—MGM National Harbor, Maryland Live!, Horseshoe Casino, Hollywood Casino, and Oceans Down Casino. Bets must be placed in person and the facilities are expected tone ready to take bets for the NFL Playoffs, starting in January.

A bill legalizing sports betting was signed into law last May, but the commission has delayed creating guidelines and issuing approvals for licenses. Critics of the commission, including Governor Larry Hogan, were disappointed in the delays and fearful that people would go to D.C. or Virginia to place bets instead.

Virginia’s sports betting laws allow people to bet online or through an app as long as they are inside the state’s borders.

Maryland law allows the state to issue a total of 10 casino licenses, 30 retail licenses, and up to 60 online licenses. The five casinos awarded the first licenses either have sports betting operating in other states or have contracted with experienced sports betting companies.

The law also creates a fund that will supply grants and loans to women and minority-owned businesses looking to acquire a sports betting license. The commission has not estimated when licenses for online sports betting will be issued.

The licensees still have a few hoops to jump through before they can accept bets. Each casino will have to complete a list of licensing requirements that include operating a simulation on its wagering systems. If all goes well, wagering at the casinos should be underway by January 1, 2022. Sports wagering is projected to bring in an estimated $100 million dollars in taxes per year to the state’s coffers.

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