Maryland Needs to Wait For Sports Betting Referendum

Last week’s mid-term elections saw Maryland Governor, Larry Hogan, and Senator, Ben Cardin, re-elected – the two politicians that support the amendment for slot machines to generate additional tax for state educational system.

However, the one question that wasn’t posed to the voters of this state is the question of sports betting because the Maryland General Assembly did not pass a measure that would put it before voters in time.

A Missed Opportunity?

Which seems to be a very big shame, because the poll conducted by University of Maryland and Washington Post says that 53% of voters would approve sports betting legalization. 33% said they would disapprove, while the remaining 14% said they were uncertain about it.

Sports betting liberalization goes down particularly well with younger people – 7 out of 10 people of age under 40 support it. Voters 65 and older are less inclined to it – only 4 out of 10 looks favorably upon sports betting.

However, due to the fact that state law demands any gambling expansion should be put to a referendum vote, the chances that sports betting will live and breathe in Maryland before 2020 are very slim.

A Simple Majority Decides

The ballot must be approved by General Assembly and in order for sports betting to be legalized the voters need to support the cause with a simple majority. The next elections in Maryland will take place in November 2020, which is the earliest when sports betting legalization could pass.

That also means that the first sports wager in this state could be placed in 2021...

...which could prove too costly, because by then Maryland could be completely surrounded by states where sports betting is legal and sportsbooks are live. Pennsylvania is well on the road of making it legal, while Delaware and West Virginia already have functioning sportsbooks.

Virginia and DC are still lagging behind but even they are ahead with process compared to Maryland.

Maryland voters have already made gambling history twice – first in 2008, when 58.7% of voters decided in favor of legalizing slot machines at five casinos. Tax revenue from these slots is being used to fund public education.

Also, in 2012, the voters were asked if they supported the inclusion of table games in land-based casinos, as well as the construction of the sixth casino in Prince George Country – whose license was issued to MGM Resorts, that opened the MGM National Harbor in 2016. The motion was voted in favor with the narrow victory margin of 51.9%.

Source:

“Poll: Majority of Maryland voters favor legalizing sports betting”, Emily Guskin, washingtonpost.com, November 12, 2018.