Baltimore Orioles Retail Betting Partnership Prompting Move Towards Mobile Sports Betting

In the state of Maryland, six retail sports books have been actively accepting sports bets for months. What hasn’t happened yet is the approval and setting of regulations for mobile/online sports betting. That’s in spite of the fact that both Maryland sports bettors and operators have made clear that is really the direction they want the state to go.

It’s important to note that the Baltimore Orioles organization has partnered with operator SuperBook Sports for the development of a huge retail sportsbook at Camden Yards, home of the Orioles. While SuperBook Sports has yet to receive approval for its sports betting license, there is every reason to believe that the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Board will be approving that license very soon.

SuperBook Sports has been an active member of the Nevada sports betting community since 1986. The operator’s prize asset is their 35,000 Sq. Ft. SuperBook Westgate Las Vegas property. This facility is currently rated as the largest retail sportsbook in the world, featuring a 4K video screen wall.

The Orioles and SuperBook Sports will be looking to develop a similar property when licensing is issued. According to reports, the new retail sportsbook will seek to offer value to the MLB experience for Maryland sports bettors and MLB fans.

SuperBook Sports Targets Mobile Sports Betting in Maryland

It’s quite possible that the Camden Yards retail sportsbook is intended to serve as a means to an end. As is the case with a lot of sports betting operators in the U.S., mobile/online sports betting is the likely end goal for SuperBook Sports management.

Currently, SuperBook Sports has been offering mobile sports betting access in a number of different states. That list includes Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and New Jersey. Additionally, they have partnered with IGT for a mobile sports betting license in Tennessee. Business is brisk in all of these states, something that is surely prompting SuperBook Sports to pressure the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Board to get mobile wagering guidelines set sooner rather than later.

Why the Delay for Mobile Sports Betting in Maryland?

As things stand here in September of 2022, it’s clear that Maryland residents won’t have access to mobile sports betting options until some time in the early part of 2023 at the earliest. Why the delay given the potential tax revenue that awaits?

First, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Board has yet to set all of the applicable rules and regulations in place. Second, it has taken the state’s Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) more time than expected to set its guidelines so they can start processing applications. The panel last met on August 10 when they discussed the licensing process and a possible launch date for mobile sports betting.

While top U.S. mobile sports betting operators like BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and PointsBet have already expressed interest in the Maryland market, they are still going to have to go through two approval processes before the green light starts flashing.