Maryland online gambling
Online gambling in Maryland is still a new thing — but the scene is changing fast, especially with sports betting sites’ launch in 2022.
We’ve taken a deep dive into what’s legal and what’s not in Maryland.
We explore Maryland gambling laws, giving you a clear picture of what you can find right now, and what to expect in the future.
Let’s kick things off with a look at the best Maryland gambling sites out there.
Best online gambling sites Maryland
We bring you nothing but the best at Time2play. How? By using a data-driven system to test the best gambling sites in Maryland. This saves you from going through endless lists of websites and checking if each one is safe and legit.
Since online gambling sites in Maryland haven’t happened yet, we’ve listed the best alternatives — social and sweepstakes casinos. Once sports betting sites launch (soon), we’ll rate online sportsbooks and update our list.
| Casino Logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-casino button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
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94/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 91% Playscore based on |
1.5 million WOW Coins + 35 free Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods 
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2
|
91/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 82% Playscore based on |
200,000 Gold Coins + 3 Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
15 payment methods
|
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3
|
89/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 89% Playscore based on |
Up to 650,000 Gold Coins and 1,400 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
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4
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89/100 Expert rating by Vule P. 79% Playscore based on |
500 Gold Coins + 3 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
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5
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89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 81% Playscore based on |
10,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
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6
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89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 79% Playscore based on |
1,000,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Spree Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
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7
|
89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 87% Playscore based on |
Up to 120,000 Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
3 payment methods
|
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8
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88/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 96% Playscore based on |
250,000 Gold Coins + $25 Stake Cash
|
Play now |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
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9
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88/100 Expert rating by Dasha G. 87% Playscore based on |
2,000,000 Gold Coins and 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
9 payment methods
|
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10
|
87/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 86% Playscore based on |
100,000 Crown Coins + 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
7 payment methods
|
Maryland online gambling sites by type — what is legal?
Can you gamble online in Maryland? Online gambling in Maryland is still a new thing, which means it isn’t entirely legal yet. Online sports betting and the apps that come with it launched back in 2022, but online casinos aren’t legal for the time being. MD online gambling is quite limited, but there are still sites for players to play on.
Check out the table where we’ve broken down the different types of legal gambling available in Maryland:
| Gambling vertical | Offline legal age | Online legal age | Online Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casinos | 21 | N/A | N/A |
| Social casinos | 21 | 21 | N/A |
| Sportsbooks | 21 | 21 | 2022 |
| Social betting apps | 21 | 21 | 2022 |
| Poker | 18 | N/A | N/A |
| Lottery | 18 | 18 | 2007 |
| Video gaming terminals | 21 | 21 | 2007 |
| Horse racing | 18 | 18 | 2021 |
Social and sweepstakes casinos — the best legal alternative to online casinos in Maryland
Just because online gambling in Maryland isn’t fully legal, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the best Maryland online casinos. There are plenty of social and sweepstakes casinos out there, and because you won’t play with real money, they are perfectly legal. Mississippi online gambling, for example, works pretty much the same way.
Playing at social and sweepstakes casinos gives you the same experience that gambling at any real money site Maryland can offer you. While you won’t be able to win real money, you’ll form part of a social community that competes in tournaments and contests and collects gold coins. The MD gambling age for these sites is still 21 because of the nature of the games.
Check out at some of our favorite social/sweepstakes casinos and what they offer.
| Casino Logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-casino button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
94/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 91% Playscore based on |
1.5 million WOW Coins + 35 free Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
|
|
2
|
89/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 89% Playscore based on |
Up to 650,000 Gold Coins and 1,400 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
3
|
80/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 82% Playscore based on |
Daily Free Spins and Credit Bonus
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
Poker at sweepstakes casinos
Online poker in Maryland is still illegal, but you can play video poker at social and sweepstakes casinos in the US. Since online gambling laws in Maryland prohibit playing poker for real money, you’ll need to play with virtual currency. Although this isn’t the same as live poker, we recommend it as the best alternative as you’ll still get the poker experience.
Video poker comes in many variants, but the most popular one is the five-card draw at sites like BetRivers. Simply set your bet and bluff your way through the game against the random number generator (RNG).
The best Maryland betting sites — coming soon in 2022
The first retail sportsbook opened in April 2021 in Maryland. The bill to legalize online gambling with sportsboosk is expected to come into effect in 2022, with a handful of major US online sportsbooks ready to launch in the state.
You’ll be able to place bets on local and international leagues, championships, and tournaments on a number of sports. This type of gambling in Maryland comes with dedicated sports bonuses, boosted odds, and free bets.
We’re just as excited about sports betting becoming legal as you are, so we’ve put together some of the gambling sites going live in Maryland into a table to give you an idea of what to expect.
| Betting site | Expected launch date | Expected bonus offer | Retail sportsbook partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMG | 2022 | $1,000 Risk Free Bet | Baltimore Ravens, MGM National Harbor Casino |
| Caesars | 2022 | First Bet Matched up to $1,001 | Horseshoe Casino Baltimore |
| FanDuel | 2022 | $1,000 Risk Free Bet | Live! Casino |
| Unibet | 2022 | $500 Free Bet | Caesars Entertainment |
Other forms of gambling in Maryland
Online slot machines aren’t yet a thing in Maryland, but gambling still possible in the state. You can choose between online lotteries, bingo, and horse racing. Check out the cards below:
Lottery
Lotteries are a legal form of gambling in MD. They were created in an attempt to compete with video lottery terminals. The most popular lotteries include the Mega Millions, the Keno – Pick Twenty!, and the US Powerball. Lotteries in Maryland have been offering both land and online services since 2011 and the legal age to gamble using this product is 21.
Bingo
Online bingo is a popular form of gambling in Maryland. Most sites even allow you to play for free, meaning you can enjoy a few rounds without spending a dime. The best online gambling sites in Maryland offer bonuses for bingo players that could include free entry tickets or bonus cash.
Horse Racing
Gambling on horse races in Maryland is perfectly legal as long as you’re wagering at a reputable site regulated by the Maryland Racing Commission. You’ll need to find an advance deposit wagering operator (ADW) like TVG and TwinSpires.Offline gambling in Maryland
The Maryland gambling scene is still pretty new, which is why you won’t find many places to do so, online or otherwise. There are a total of six land-based casinos, most of which opened within the last decade or so.
We’ve made a table that gives you an overview of each of the six brick-and-mortar casinos where you can enjoy some gambling in the Old Line State.
| Casino | Launch date | Retail sportsbook |
|---|---|---|
| MGM National Harbor | December 8, 2016 | Yes |
| Horseshoe Casino | August 26, 2014 | Yes |
| Live! Casino and Hotel | June 6, 2012 | Yes |
| Ocean Downs | July 25, 1949 | Yes |
| Rocky Gap Casino Resort | May 22, 2013 | No |
| Hollywood Casino | September 17, 2010 | Yes |
Video Lottery Terminals in Maryland
Legalizing video lottery terminals (VLT) in Maryland as a form of gambling was in the cards since the mid-90s, only being seriously considered after the economic recession of 2002-2003.
The law allowing them to start operating passed in November 2008, and the first VLT facility opened its doors in 2010. The jurisdiction monitors gameplay through a centralized computer system in order to collect a percentage of the game’s revenue.
Video lottery terminals are found in select, licensed, land-based establishments like the Rocky Gap Casino Resort.
How to choose the best Maryland gambling sites
Here at Time2play, we take reviewing US online casinos very seriously. We have a comprehensive rating system that allows us to dig deep into the dark corners of the site — this is how we can give you the honest truth about the online gambling sites, including those in Maryland.
Each of our criteria gets scored and adds to a total of 100. An example of this is customer support, where we’d rate the available channels, their availability, and response time.
The following cards explain just some of the factors we consider when reviewing and rating not only the best Maryland gambling sites, but all the online casinos we rate in the US.
Licenses and responsible gaming
All the online gambling sites we recommend are legal and licensed, including those available in Maryland. We also make sure the site gives importance to responsible gaming. This includes self-assessment, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options. You’ll usually find key info in the page’s footer, header, and terms and conditions.
Products
The range of products gambling sites in Maryland and other US states is a crucial element of our reviews. We evaluate the game types, whether live games are offered, if you have sports betting options, and if you can win real money. We also keep an eye out for special games, tournaments, and loyalty programs.
Gambling apps
We understand that we’re living in a mobile-first era, which is why we rate how mobile gambling sites are. Our top Maryland casinos are optimized to work on any device, regardless of how small it is. You’ll be able to access them through a browser or by downloading a native Maryland app, something which only our best gambling sites have.
Payments
The range of payment methods is an important element to consider when gambling in Maryland or anywhere else for that matter. We keep an eye out for reputable payment providers like PayPal, Mastercard, and e-wallets like Skrill or Neteller. We also look at processing times, fees, and payment policies.
Platform
We want to make sure you have a smooth experience when gambling online in Maryland. Some of the aspects we check in our ratings are ease of navigation, swiftness of payments, and how user-friendly the information is. We rate the scale of the colors, ease-of-use of the live chat (and its available hours), and the overall speed of the site.
Maryland gambling and safety
Online gambling in Maryland may be limited, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t safe. Depending on the kind of game you’re playing, the best Maryland gambling sites are regulated by the Maryland State Lottery, Maryland Racing Commission, or Maryland Secretary of State – Charitable Organization Division. Another stamp of approval is the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
Maryland gambling laws require any online site that wishes to offer sports betting once it becomes legal to apply for regulation with the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission.
You’ll find the logos of the relevant regulatory bodies in the footer, header, and/or terms and conditions of any legal online gambling site in Maryland.
Maryland gambling laws through time
Maryland has seen a constant back and forth over the years with its gambling laws. Slot machines were illegally installed in the late 1940s and were eliminated completely twenty years later, only to be reinstated in 2008. Sports betting wasn’t even dreamt of before very recently.
We’ve compiled a timeline with the most important dates when it comes to gambling in Maryland.
Saddle up!
Horse racing is legalized in Maryland.
Bingo!
Bingo and other games of chance are legalized in Maryland.
Bye bye slot machines!
Slot machines in Maryland are made illegal.
Choose your numbers
Maryland’s first lottery is officially launched.
Let’s go to the casino!
Brick-and-mortar casinos open, allowing slot machines and table games to become legal again.
Not just casino anymore
Sen. Christ West passes a motion to legalize sports betting in Maryland.
Sports betting becomes legal
17 retail establishments apply to be listed in the Sports Wagering Law.
Latest updates — sports betting launching soon
Maryland gambling laws seem to be always changing as more aspects of gambling are becoming legal. Here are some of the highlights.
- Online sports betting is in the process of becoming legal with hopes to fully launch in 2022.
- Social and sweepstakes casinos have become a legal alternative to online casinos in Maryland
FAQs
Where can I bet online in Maryland?
Once online sportsbooks launch in Maryland in 2022, you’ll be able to gamble by placing bets on your favorite sports using real money gambling sites like BetMGM Maryland Sportsbook, FanDuel Maryland Sportsbook, and Caesars Maryland Sportsbook. These online casinos offer free bets, boosted odds, and mobile bets.
Is online gambling legal in Maryland?
Yes, online gambling is legal in Maryland. You can gamble on horse racing, bingo, and lotteries. As of 2022, you will also be able to wager on sports events as online sportsbooks become legalized.
Can I bet on sports events in Maryland?
As things stand, the gambling laws in Maryland do not allow betting on sports events. Sports betting will become legal in 2022 in Maryland. This means you’ll be able to wager real money on national and international leagues and championships such as the NBA.
What is the legal gambling age in Maryland?
The legal gambling age in Maryland is 21. This is true for the majority of gambling products including brick-and-mortar casinos, sports betting, table games, and horse racing.
Can I play online poker in Maryland?
The Maryland online gambling law doesn’t allow citizens of Maryland to play poker online. However, a workaround is video poker at sweepstakes or social casinos. These sites offer different versions of poker that you can play using virtual currency. Keep in mind that you won’t be playing for real money, meaning you cannot win real money.
