Maryland Not Budging On Sports Betting Application Deadline

Maryland sports activities betting regulators don’t have any plans to increase the state’s cell and aggressive retail sports activities wagering software deadline set for Oct. 21.

The Maryland Sports activities Wagering Software Overview Fee, or SWARC, made that clear yesterday when it said on its web site that “right now, Oct. 21, 2022 is the one deadline to submit purposes” and software charges for as much as 60 cell and as much as 30 aggressive retail sports activities betting licenses out there beneath Maryland’s sports activities wagering legislation.

The applying window for all aggressive licenses formally closes at 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 21, in response to the SWARC web site.  The applying window opened on Sept. 6. 

Maryland Lottery and Gaming official James Butler reiterated that the deadline is agency at a public remark assembly held in Baltimore right now on proposed closing rules governing cell and aggressive retail licensing by SWARC. Emergency sports activities betting rules are in place till the everlasting rules are closing, or till March 3, 2023, whichever comes first. 

“We acquired quite a few questions regarding whether or not there’s a chance of SWARC having extra software home windows sooner or later,” Butler mentioned right now. The response, posted yesterday within the SWARC web site FAQs, clarifies that the one software deadline proper now could be Oct. 21. “The institution of any extra software window is at SWARC’s discretion and would require majority approval of the SWARC members,” Butler mentioned, quoting the web site. 

In response to MLG officers, the primary cell licenses may very well be issued inside 90 days, placing Maryland cell sports activities betting on observe for launch by the top of 2022.  

Strict Guidelines Govern Maryland Sports activities Betting Software Course of

As soon as the appliance window closes on Oct. 21, SWARC can have as much as 45 days to think about a cell or aggressive retail software beneath the present guidelines. 

The principles are strict. Any software could be rejected if all requested supplies and the nonrefundable SWARC software charge aren’t acquired by the Oct. 21 deadline. 

The deadline is about by SWARC, however the charges are set by legislation.

They’re as follows: 

Cell: $500,000

Class B-1 Facility (Retail): $250,000

Class B-2 Facility (Retail): $50,000

Feedback made at right now’s public remark assembly from small minority- and women-owned companies consultant Arthur Robinson indicated some Maryland companies need the cell licensing charge lowered.

A change in required charges would doubtless require state legislative motion – delayed till 2023 on the earliest – though Robinson steered SWARC would possibly think about regulatory motion on charges someday sooner or later. 

Robinson pointed to language in Maryland’s 2021 sports activities betting legislation that offers SWARC authority to open new software home windows for unawarded cell or aggressive retail licenses. 

However it’s unsure if SWARC would begin a brand new software course of, ought to the chance come up. 

Maryland Cell Sports activities Betting Software Course of: What Would possibly Lie Forward

On its web site, SWARC acknowledges its authority beneath Maryland legislation to open a brand new software window for cell or aggressive retail licenses that go unawarded.

However SWARC additionally makes it clear that the choice to do this is as much as the fee. 

SWARC doesn’t seem able to make that call. 

“If SWARC doesn’t award the utmost numbers of licenses, SWARC could (however is just not required to) create extra software home windows for any portion of the remaining cell licenses or Class B facility licenses.  The institution of any extra software home windows is at SWARC’s discretion and would require approval of a majority of SWARC members,” in response to the SWARC web site.