Oceans Down Casino in Berlin as well as Hollywood Casino in Perryville that has partnered with Barstool are now two of five casinos that are licensed and qualified to operate in-person sports betting in Maryland.

Licenses granted after delays even as the administration is keen

Regulatory adjustments meant that there were months of delays for the official launch. The official launch is now targeted for late fall.

The determination of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission was that two additional entities had qualified themselves for the grant of the sports wagering licenses. The Commission has made a determination that since these two entities already have gambling licenses in the state, they are qualified for the grant of the in-person sports betting license.

Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland has issued a statement on Thursday, October 21, 2021 after the determination of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission. He shared the entire statement with his followers on his Twitter account.

He stated that “no one is pushing harder than I am to get sports betting up and running.” He further stated that his administration has already approved five licenses with respect to sports betting. He stated that his government was working hard to implement the referendum that has been approved by the voters in the state as well as the law that has been passed by the General Assembly in the state.

He further stated that the people of the state are looking forward to betting on March Madness as well as the NFL games. He stated that his administration expects that the Sports Wagering Applicant Review Commission of the Legislature would approve the licenses in a swift manner.

Sports Wagering Applicant Review Commission and licenses

The Commission had originally canceled its earlier meeting on Thursday, October 14, 2021, that was to discuss the grant of licenses to the three casinos. However, after the meeting was called off, the Director of the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has stated that he is confident as regards the launch of in-person sports betting in the state.