Last updated: April 12, 2024
Maryland’s Senate rejects a House-sponsored bill for online casinos, delaying legislative efforts for another year. Although discussions on iGaming are gaining momentum, skepticism persists. The proposed bill outlined industry standards and a 55% levy on online casino games, aiming for a competitive field in the state’s gambling market.
The online casinos that Marylanders were eager to see the state adopting are now gone. They were barred by the Senate sponsor, and the bill of the House of Representatives suffered its last loss in the legislators’ hands and did not succeed in becoming a law. Legislative initiatives in Maryland to legalize online casinos have been built on a base rather than a higher ground, so they failed because Atterbeary was not an exception. This time the bill appeared not to be successful, and similarly to the many similar acts, it failed to reach the Senate and instead became part of the Budget and Taxation Committee.
On the bright side, even if the setback has slightly pushed iGaming conversations into the dark corner, a larger dialogue around this issue is noticeable, and there is more awareness and advocacy. Surprisingly, even the skepticism around the legislative IGaming initiatives is lessening and gathering momentum behind the issue. It will probably not be much longer until Marylanders have to stand in the same position in the queue.
The majority of the bill’s provisions operate with the assumption that these live dealers would be taxed at a rate of 20% as stated in the bill. But this would be in contrast to other states in the United States where online casinos are legal where waivers are being commonly offered to these live dealers. This will in return drap a notable figure to the state after proposing a 55% tax levy on online casino games.
When it comes to live dealer games, which are in Vienna, and are being developed in special gaming studios and employ people that know what they are doing, the high maintenance bill and the need for complex infrastructure is a given.
Under this proposal, the state is expected to receive the lion share of the revenue within a shortest time—up to 30 separate firms, each required to pay $1 million for 5-years license. In order to create a fairly competitive environment for online gambling, the draft suggested that all land-based casinos, racetracks, and VLT operators submit an application for a license.
The bill was also overwhelmingly supported by the House of Representatives, which passed it with 92 votes in favor and 43 against. Atterbeary might redouble his efforts for the following year, but finding a co-sponsor from the other side of the political spectrum would be a much more effective strategy. As a Democrat, she may also gain from the Grand Old Party’s support for HB 1319 and its replacement.
Susan is a verified gambling support specialist who has helped thousands of problem gamblers get back on their feet through therapy and financial counseling. She’s also worked as a cage manager in four Las Vegas casinos and spent two years in Macau in her 30s, where she became extremely savvy at Sic Bo and other Asian table games. Her knowledge and expertise have and continue to play a priceless part in how we structure our content, particularly when it comes to game guides and casino reviews.
