Betr is on track to be the 12th online sportsbook in Maryland. A pair of lesser-known companies are working to follow soon.
The Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission approved applications from Queen Sportsbook and Veterans Service Corp. However, Seth Elkin, managing director of communications for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, said several hurdles remain before launching in the Old Line State.
“They’re both working to complete their operational requirements and will make determinations about their launch dates once they’ve completed those tasks and are ready to go.”
Licensing process includes wagering demonstration and audit
Laws on Maryland sports betting allow up to 60 online sportsbooks and 50 retail licensees. Retail betting began in 2021, and online sports betting began a year later.
Getting a sports betting license in Maryland is a long and somewhat tedious process.
It culminates with a controlled demonstration consisting of two days of live wagering. Then, it’s followed by two days of revenue audit and follow-up.
Veterans have connections to Gambet
Queen Sportsbook formed an LLC in Maryland under the umbrella of Queen Casino & Entertainment in 2023. That company operates two casino resorts in Baton Rouge, LA, a casino in Marquette, IA, and a DraftKings-affiliated casino in East St. Louis, IL.
Veterans Services Corp. has a history in the region. It was a subcontractor working with Intralot, which managed the failed Gambet sportsbook in Washington, D.C.
A Washington Post article from August 2019 reported the relationship between the two:
“District law requires companies with large public contracts to subcontract some work to small local businesses to create new jobs, expand the tax base and grow the local economy.
“However, Veterans Services appears to have no employees, according to interviews and District records. Until recently, the company’s website touted executives who didn’t work there. The man who leads it, Emmanuel Bailey, is a Maryland resident who is employed by an Intralot subsidiary, public records and company financial statements show.”
The DC Lottery recently switched to FanDuel as its lone citywide sportsbook.
Veterans uses British company Bee-Fee as its sports betting operator. Bee-Fee is a London-based company founded in 2013.
According to its site, it is “a modern slot game development studio and IT service provider for online casinos and sports betting” that has “developed innovative platforms for online casinos and sports betting which are fully integrated with all leading providers.”
