Online sports betting went live in Maryland on Nov. 23.
Initially, 10 operators were reviewed for online sportsbook approval, and 7 of those debuted on launch day.
MD launch takes place Wednesday, Nov. 23
With retail Maryland sportsbooks live for nearly a year now, sports wagering enthusiasts were growing anxious for the same access to online betting.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan called on regulators to speed up the process.
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reviewed 10 initial online sports betting operators for license approval in October. Seven launched in November, and only one additional operator has debuted since then. The others will launch at an undetermined date.
In anticipation of the big reveal, Maryland sportsbooks rolled out free bonus money promos left and right.
Here’s a look at the 10 initial online sportsbooks to receive a license in the Old Line State.
DraftKings Sportsbook
Boston-based DraftKings is one of nine companies within the US wagering industry that books 90% of all betting action.
So, it’s no surprise DraftKings Sportsbook MD was one of a few sports betting operators awarded a license to operate through multiple partnerships in the state of Maryland.
But the company also had to state its case for more than $3 billion in losses over a five-year stretch. And, because of that, the company will be required to carry out an annual fiscal review with gaming regulators. The company hopes to be profitable by 2025.
DraftKings, owner of Crown MD Gaming LLC, entered a 10-year partnership with racetrack facility Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. The sports wagering operator will not need approval from the state review commission, but the fairgrounds owners will need to be approved despite being guaranteed a sports betting license under state law.
Caesars Sportsbook
With Caesars Sportsbook Maryland located on the first floor of Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, Caesars currently features more brick-and-mortar sportsbooks than any other company in the country.
Most recently, it debuted 19th online sportsbook this year when it launched in Maryland.
Those numbers, along with the company’s acquisition of William Hill US, have made Caesars a leader in both the retail and online wagering sectors. The company is sure to continue its investments as more states legalize gambling.
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BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook MD became the first official gaming partner of the Baltimore Ravens and plans to offer special promotions to Ravens fans. Maryland was the 15th state to approve BetMGM as a sports betting operator with the launch of online sportsbooks in the Old Line State.
With its retail sportsbook at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, BetMGM received a mobile wagering license under the name Roar Digital.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel is another sports betting operator to receive a license through multiple retail partnerships.
In addition to a partnership with Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, FanDuel Sportsbook Maryland is partnering with the NFL’s Washington Commanders to offer retail wagering in the stadium once the venue clears final regulatory approval.
And, despite in-stadium NFL sportsbooks not being able to be open during home games because of league rules, Commanders owner Daniel Snyder also applied for a mobile wagering license through a partnership with FanDuel.
FanDuel merged with Ireland-based BetFair in 2018 and has now launched its sportsbook app in Maryland.
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PointsBet
Australia-based PointsBet has partnered with Riverboat on the Potomac. Although it’s an off-track-betting site with a retail facility on the Virginia side of the Potomac, it’s governed by Maryland law.
PointsBet Sportsbook MD began taking its first retail bets in September, making it the seventh retail sportsbook to open in Maryland. On Nov. 23, it became one of the first seven online sportsbooks to launch in the state.
Barstool Sportsbook
Based out of the retail wagering location at Hollywood Casino Perryville, and operating as Penn Sports Interactive, Barstool now runs online sportsbooks in 14 states thanks to its most recent Barstool Sportsbook Maryland launch.
Barstool Sportsbook is a segment of the Barstool Sports media empire founded by Dave Portnoy.
Penn Entertainment is expected to purchase it this year for $450 million. This follows Penn National Gaming’s acquisition of Hollywood Casino Perryville for more than $30 million in 2020, which was finalized in 2021.
BetRivers
BetRivers Maryland was the first sports betting operator to partner up with a non-casino retail location in the state. It partnered with Bingo World, the largest bingo operator in Maryland among the roughly 50 retail bingo establishments.
BetRivers operates online sportsbooks in 11 states and also has five brick-and-mortar locations in the Northeast. They are in New York, Virginia, Illinois and Pennsylvania (two).
Launching in 2023
Betfred
The UK-based Betfred Sportsbook, which operates in partnership with retail sportsbook Long Shot’s, recently debuted the first and only female-owned, in-person sportsbook in Maryland.
Betfred also operates in eight other states as well as in the United Kingdom. Long Shot’s has operated in Maryland for more than 50 years, boasting success with off-track betting.
Fanatics
Florida-based FBG Enterprises Opco represents manufacturer and retailer Fanatics, leading the way with licensed sportswear, collectibles, NFTs, trading cards and merchandise. It also operates sports betting and iGaming divisions of its company.
CEO Michael Rubin said the company plans on being in more than 15 states by the start of the 2023 NFL season. He also said the company would not open in New York, as sports wagering operators must pay a 51% tax in the state. Fanatics was also denied an operator’s license in 2021.
Despite rumors that Fanatics would acquire an existing betting company, like PointsBet, to make a real push for significant market share in Maryland, that will not happen.
Fanatics Sportsbook MD received license approval back in June and is expected to launch a retail sportsbook at the Washington Commanders’ FedEx Field in the near future.
BetParx Sportsbook
BetParx Sportsbook is the Pennsylvania-based casino and gaming company partnering with Greenmount Station OTB in Hampstead. It will go by the name BetParx Interactive Maryland.
Greenmount received a retail sports betting license in December 2021. It wasn’t until last week that the facility finally debuted its betParx retail sportsbook.
