Maryland Proposal Would Drastically Change Face Of Wagering

A Maryland bill that would result in key changes to how consumers bet on sports and what they can bet on got its first moment before a legislative committee Thursday. HB 518, billed as measure to "mitigate effects of problem gaming,” would ban prop betting, require consumers to set time and deposit limits, and ban credit card funding of sports betting accounts.

No state currently has a law requiring account holders to set time and deposit limits, though operators are required to offer tools to do so. The Maryland proposal goes a step further, as it implies that bettors would not be able to wager until they set limits, rather than choosing if they want to engage. In addition, the bill calls for a waiting period between when a bettor wants to change limits and when that would actually happen.

The bill, which would codify a prop ban crafted by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission in 2024, was introduced into the House Ways and Means Committee.

There were no questions for bill sponsor Del. Julie Palakovich Carr, and the bill can now begin making its way through the state legislature, which has a March 23 crossover deadline. Palakovich Carr said that since online sports betting launched in November 2022, there has been a 42% increase in gambling addiction, and that two of every five Marylanders who gamble show signs of "disordered gambling.”

"Collectively, these safeguards will make gaming safer for Marylanders while allowing this industry to continue to operate and to generate revenue for our state,” she said.

Player prop ban proposals popular

Maryland’s state legislature is among five that is considering some sort of college player prop ban. Bills with similar bans have been filed in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Utah (where all forms of gambling are illegal). None have had or are scheduled for hearings yet.

• https://www.ingame.com/maryland-prop-ban-hearing-21226/