Maryland online casinos are not currently available for real money games. But those who wish to play slots, table games, and even live dealer games online can do so at social and sweepstakes casinos like WOW Vegas, McLuck Casino, High 5 Casino, and others. Meanwhile, with so many surrounding states having online casinos, MD could add them sooner than later. Here’s a full guide to the current and future status of Maryland online casinos.
Are Maryland online casinos legal?
Many of Maryland’s neighbors have real money online casinos, including Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. But while there is online sports betting in Maryland, the state has yet to allow online casinos. The state House did pass an online casino bill by a wide margin in March 2024. However, the bill only earned a short discussion in a Senate committee before it died without a vote.
Interest in potentially introducing online casinos remains, though, and legislators will likely revisit the issue during the 2026 legislative session. Note that Maryland gaming expansion ultimately requires a constitutional amendment, so it can only become law if it receives a majority vote in the state’s general election.
That means at present the best option for Maryland players to play games online are social and sweepstakes casinos such as the ones listed above. These sites use virtual currencies rather than real money, although in some cases players can redeem winnings for cash prizes.
Latest updates on Maryland casinos
Updated July 17, 2024
- After failing to advance a House-passed online casino bill in April 2024, Maryland lawmakers now must wait until the 2026 legislative session to take up the topic once again.
- A recent study from Canada could provide support for some Maryland lawmakers when they revisit the issue of legalizing MD online casinos. Focusing on Ontario, the study showed how the introduction of online casino gaming positively impacted job creation and government revenues.
- Meanwhile, the latest year-over-year report shows Maryland retail casinos saw relatively little change in revenue in June.
Recent News
Current status of Maryland online casino legislation
As noted, the 2024 legislative session ended without any movement on Maryland online casinos. There was some support to expand Maryland legal gambling options to include online casinos, especially during the latter days of the 2024 session, but none of the proposed legislation was able to advance.
Sen. Ron Watson offered a pair of bills that would legalize online casinos, but the Senate chose not to move forward with either bill. Meanwhile, Del. Vanessa Atterbeary’s House Bill 1319 authorizing online casinos did advance, ultimately receiving a favorable vote in the House where HB 1319 passed by a 92-43 margin. The bill was subsequently discussed during a hearing of the Senate Budget and Taxes Committee in late March. Ultimately, however, the General Assembly ended its legislative session without taking up HB 1319, and it was never voted upon. Two other gambling bills (HB 1291 and HB 1097) introduced in the House met a similar fate with neither bill receiving a vote.
Expanding legal gambling to include online casinos requires voter approval in Maryland. That means since legislation failed in 2024, the earliest online casinos could be legalized in Maryland is 2026.
Social and sweepstakes casinos
As mentioned above, it is possible right now to play casino games online in Maryland at social and sweepstakes casinos online. The top social and sweeps sites include:
- WOW Vegas
- McLuck Casino
- High 5 Casino
- Pulsz
- Chumba Casino
You can also play for fun on some of the social casino sites associated with retail casinos in Maryland. In particular, MGM National Harbor offers a social casino site called MGM Slots Live.
Retail casinos in Maryland
Maryland is home to six retail casinos. Some of the biggest names in gambling count one of these as part of their portfolio. The properties range from large-scale casinos that would be comfortable in Atlantic City or Las Vegas to operations that are merely part of the larger slate of activities at a resort such as horseback riding or kayaking. Here are the options:
| Casino | City | Poker? | Phone Number | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino Perryville | Perryville | Y | 410-378-8500 | Penn National |
| Horseshoe Casino Baltimore | Baltimore | Y | 844-777-7463 | Caesars |
| Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland | Hanover | Y | 855-563-5483 | Cordish |
| MGM National Harbor | Oxon Hill | Y | 844-646-6847 | MGM Resorts |
| Ocean Downs Casino | Berlin | N | 410-641-0600 | Churchill Downs |
| Rocky Gap Casino Resort | Flintstone | N | 800-724-0828 | Century Casinos, Inc. |
Problem gambling support in Maryland
Most Maryland gamblers can place their bets and emerge none the worse for wear. Unfortunately, some people in the state gamble to an unhealthy degree. Thankfully, Maryland allocates government resources to address problem gambling.
The law requires that each casino in the state pays hundreds of dollars for each game it offers on its floor to fund responsible gambling efforts. As a result, you can get help in Maryland without spending a dime of your own money. Your best resource is the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling (MCEPG).
This organization, part of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, can help connect you with counseling, peer support groups, and educational resources about controlling your gambling. All services are free, including referrals to counselors and treatment from the counselors. You can either visit the website for the MCEPG through the link above, or you can call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) to reach a trained referral specialist. The phone line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A similar organization is the Maryland Council on Problem Gambling. This group, the state affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling, can also connect you with treatment providers. The MCPG is also heavily involved with educating Marylanders about the realities of problem gambling and the ways to fight against it. The organization routinely advocates on behalf of all problem gamblers in the state.
Another option for problem gamblers and their families is peer support groups in the state. These groups can provide empathy, support, accountability, and strategies to push back against the desire to gamble. Top support groups or outlets include the following:
- Gamblers Anonymous — Multiple in-person meetings around Maryland each week
- Gamtalk — Online peer support forum available 24/7
- Gam-Anon — A support group for families and friends of problem gamblers
Finally, be aware of Maryland’s voluntary exclusion program that allows you to bar yourself from entering the premises of any Maryland gambling facility and/or purchasing lottery tickets. You must remain on the list for no less than two years, and removal from the list is subject to the approval of the gambling commission, which will require you to undergo an assessment by a counselor. Family members and friends cannot act as proxies to put you on the list.
Maryland online casino FAQ
Not for real money. You can play online casino games at social and sweeps sites, however, such as WOW Vegas, McLuck Casino, High 5 Casino and others.
The timeframe for online casinos in Maryland is unclear, but a number of lawmakers in the state are in favor of putting them on the ballot. If or when iGaming legislation does pass in Maryland, it would have to go up for a vote in the November general election before online casinos would be legalized.
In all likelihood, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency would be the most obvious choice to regulate online casinos should they be introduced in the state.
Roughly $2 billion per year. According to records from the state, the six casinos generate between $160 million and $185 million in monthly revenue, and revenues from FY 2022 surpassed the $2 billion mark for the first time in state history.
Should Maryland introduce online casinos, the companies that currently own the six land-based casinos in the state seem the likeliest to operate the new online sites. Companies like BetMGM, Caesars, and Penn National Gaming could be among the first recipients of licenses if the time came.
The BetMGM Casino online site and app available to players in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other states is not available in Maryland. However, you cannot place online wagers at the BetMGM Sportsbook in Maryland. You can also visit the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino in Oxon Hill for in-person gaming.