Prospective operators for mobile Maryland sports betting that have been awarded licenses and only need to get final approvals from the state’s Lottery & Gaming Control Agency are rolling out the red carpet for bettors.
John Martin, director of Lottery & Gaming, announced last week that the initial starting date for online sports betting will be Nov. 23. It appears that a specific time for when the betting can begin will be announced tomorrow, Nov. 22.
In the meantime, operators are required to go through “controlled demonstrations” – essentially test runs of operations and procedures – before they are issued licenses. That’s all happening today and tomorrow
Last week, DraftKings alerted the public that it was going through what it called a “mandatory early access test period” from Nov. 21-22.
Today, BetRivers Maryland Sportsbook, the app operated by Rush Street Interactive (RSI), and Caesars made similar announcements.
The Caesars Maryland Sportsbook app is live today with what it called “a full betting demo period,” 2 p.m.- 10 p.m. Look for a Caesars Maryland bonus code as well as one from BetRivers and the other operators that can start Wednesday.
BetRivers said that, from 2-10 p.m., today, “bettors can register, deposit, wager and withdraw on the BetRivers sportsbook on all mobile devices, tablets, desktop and laptop computers. They can also enjoy a special early registration offer ahead of the sportsbook's official premier.”
In addition to DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook and Bet Rivers, as many as four other companies that also were awarded mobile sports wagering licenses last week can start on Nov. 23. Those are: FanDuel Maryland Sportsbook, BetMGM Maryland Sportsbook, PENN Entertainment Maryland Sportsbook and PointsBet Maryland Sportsbook.
Three additional sports wagering license awardees said they won’t be ready by this week, meaning it could be a while before bettors get to take advantage of a SuperBook Maryland promo.
Operators Can’t Wait to Get Going
In public statements, the sportsbooks that are primed for Nov. 23 are brimming with enthusiasm.
“The Caesars Sportsbook app is ready to bring the great sports fans of Maryland the elevated sports wagering experience they’ve anticipated,” said Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital. “Following the necessary regulatory approvals and testing period, Nov. 23rd will mark an exciting launch that builds on our legacy in the state.”
Caesars already runs a retail sportsbook at the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore.
BetRivers/RSI was just as eager to begin.
"We are thrilled to give Maryland's NFL and college football fans an exciting sports betting experience to enjoy all the holiday action at the touch of their fingertips,” said Richard Schwartz, chief executive officer of RSI. “In addition to football, BetRivers offers them endless entertainment with countless other sports and betting options available for their pleasure, including exciting single-game parlays on the NBA and college basketball and bets on the World Cup."
BetRivers already operates a retail sportsbook at Bingo World, in Brooklyn Park outside of Baltimore.
Just about all the mobile operators are offering sign-up bonuses and promotions to their Maryland customers.
Mobile Will Join Already Existing Retail in State
Retail sportsbooks have been operating in Maryland since December. So far, sports fans have been able to place bets at eight retail sportsbooks.
However, the state’s sports fans have been eagerly awaiting online sports wagering as they’ve seen mobile betting launch in most surrounding jurisdictions.
If Maryland’s experience matches that of many other states that have both retail and online sports betting, the amount of handle — meaning total wagers placed — will be eight to 10 times greater on Maryland mobile betting apps compared to in-person betting at the physical sportsbooks.
From now until Wednesday and for long after the launch, BetMaryland.com is your go-to site for sports betting info in the state, as well as for Maryland sportsbook promotions.
