iGaming Legislation Die in Maryland for 2025

Heading into 2025, hopes were high that several states might finally get iGaming legislation passed, joining the ranks of states like Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Heading into the spring, those hopes seem to be diminishing one state at a time.

To the chagrin of online gambling enthusiasts in the state, it looks like any chances for iGaming legislation are gone for 2025 in Maryland. This is almost assured because existing online casino referendum bills failed to clear committee considerations in both the House and Senate. The fact that Maryland Governor Wes Moore failed to list iGaming tax revenue in his budget proposal for 2026 was likely the last nail in the iGaming coffin.

Momentum for Support Never Evolved

In the Maryland House, bill HB 17 made it to floor hearings but failed to get to a vote by the assigned committee. The fate of Senate Bill SB 340 was the same. With the 2025 legislative session officially over, those bills can officially be considered "dead." Since Gov. Moore is not yet on board with approving online casino gambling access for Maryland residents, The book is closed for 2025.

It's worth mentioning that the debate on this issue was good on both the House and Senate floors. They looked at Gov. Moore's budget proposal for signs he would approve such legislation, but the lack of an iGaming revenue line item made clear where the Governor stands for now.

Concerns Were Expressed

During hearings held on both bills, concerns were expressed largely by interested parties. Some of the most adamant concerns were expressed by high-profile retail and online gambling concerns like Churchill Downs, MGM Resorts, Penn Entertainment, and the Chordish Companies. Some of the concerns expressed included:

• An HB 17 proposal that would allow non-retail casino companies to secure online casino gaming licenses


• The possible savaging of retail gambling revenue by iGaming access


• Issues related to sweepstakes casino gaming


• A general opposition to any form of online casino gambling access
  

This list of issues and more indicate there is a lot more work to be done before legalized online casino gambling is going to see the light of day in Maryland. For now, it does not look like any of that work is going to get done in 2025,

What the Future Holds

It's reasonable to suggest that there was enough interest in HB 17 and SB 340 to assume iGaming access might get some consideration during the 2026 legislative session. If it does, the goal would be to get a ballot initiative ready for voters in time for the 2026 mid-term elections. That's a long shot, given the time constraints, but anything is possible.

For now, state lawmakers are putting a lot of focus on banning online sweepstakes casino gaming by the end of the year. This is a common theme throughout the nation because sweepstakes casinos deal in virtual currency and offer cash prizes without much current interference from lawmakers. Looks like that's going to change in Maryland.