Maryland’s history of gambling is long and detailed. The first horse race occurred in 1743, but it wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that betting on these races became legal in Maryland. The lottery was also considered legal and a means to fund public works and churches.
In this article, we will guide you through all key aspects regarding gambling in this Mid-Atlantic state — the legality of online gambling and daily fantasy sports, brick-and-mortar casino options, other types of permitted gambling, and the future of online gambling.
Top 10 Maryland Online Casinos
Here is a list of our top 10 recommended online casinos sites to play at for real money from Maryland.
1
Bovada
Rating 4.5
Mobile Friendly
Accepts Bitcoin
Live dealers available
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bitcoin, Direct Bank Transfer, echeck, MasterCard, Matchpay, Visa, Visa Gift Card
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Courier Check, Direct Bank Transfer, echeck, Ethereum, Gift Cards, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Tether, User2User Transfer, Visa
Withdrawal Methods: American Express, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, User2User Transfer
The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino. • The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer. • The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus. • Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus. • The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted. • Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Deposit Methods: American Express, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, BitcoinSV, Courier Check, Ethereum, Litecoin, MasterCard, Matchpay, Player Transfer, Tether, Visa
Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
This promotion is non-transferable.
Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
Deposit Methods: ACH Direct Deposit, Bitcoin, Check, Direct Bank Transfer, echeck, Ethereum, Litecoin, Money Order, Neteller, Person to Person, Skrill, Visa
Withdrawal Methods: Bitcoin, Check, Direct Bank Transfer, Ethereum, Litecoin, Money Order, Neteller, Person to Person, Skrill
Unlike many other US states, Maryland isn’t vague about online gambling — it openly forbids it. What’s more, traditional, land-based gambling interests lobby the legislature of Maryland. In essence, brick-and-mortar casinos view online gambling as competition. If online gambling was legalized, currently enormous land-based casino revenue would likely shrink.
Currently, only betting on daily fantasy sports is legal in Maryland. The residents of Maryland can bet on DFS on various popular websites. Other types of online gambling aren’t allowed. Even horse and pari-mutuel betting, which is permitted in land-based casinos, is forbidden.
This is also true for gambling in offshore casinos. According to the constitution of Maryland, gambling in offshore casinos is considered a criminal offense. Even though Maryland courts rarely convict those who gamble in offshore casinos, we still recommend that you consult a lawyer before joining an offshore platform.
Note that Maryland’s authorities are carefully monitoring the state’s banks and other financial institutions for cases of money transfers by offshore gambling operators.
Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Maryland?
Maryland was the first state in the US that passed the law that explicitly legalized paid-entry fantasy sports in 2012. Moreover, the Free State added new customer-friendly regulations for daily fantasy sports in 2017.
All of this makes Maryland one of the most progressive states in the US when it comes to DFS.
Land-Based Casino Options in Maryland
Nowadays, you can find several land-based gambling establishments in the Free State, as well as two racetracks. Let’s explore some of the best casinos you can gamble at in this Mid-Atlantic state.
Hollywood Casino Perryville
While Hollywood Casino isn’t the largest or most popular casino in Maryland, it is the first one. This casino has over 700 video poker, video keno, and slot games.
Besides off-track gambling, this establishment offers multiple table games such as craps, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, roulette, Three-Card Poker, and blackjack.
MGM National Harbor.
This casino is the newest land-based gambling establishment in Maryland — it actually consists of a casino and a hotel. The gambling venue features more than 3,500 gaming machines, over 40 poker tables, and more than 100 gaming tables.
Apart from the entertainment, the venue offers a theater, pool, spa, clubs, and bars. You can find MGM National Harbor at 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD 20745.
Live! Casino & Hotel
Live! Casino comes with everything you will ever need and features a stunning list of casino games. There are over 3,500 gaming devices and over 40 tables that offer poker.
Besides offering a lot of gambling enjoyment, this casino provides accommodation as well. Even if you can stay somewhere else, you should at least grab a bite at a couple of dining options available here.
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore
This gambling establishment has two stories and over 120,000 square feet of gambling entertainment. As a matter of fact, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is the second biggest casino in this state. The casino includes slots, video keno, video poker, and multiple table games.
Horseshoe Casino is also the home of the World Series of Poker.
This gambling establishment features over 2,000 gambling machines, allowing you to enjoy video poker, keno, and slots. You can also find a vast array of over 150 table games.
Rocky Gap Casino
Besides being a gambling establishment, Rocky Gap Casino offers accommodations as well. The casino has a hotel if you need accommodation, as well as a place where you can play golf. Numerous slots, table games, and even a lottery are present, in addition to nice dining options.
Other Gambling Options in Maryland
The oldest and most popular type of gambling in Maryland is horse racing. At one point, the Free State offered six tracks for horse racing. However, these days, Maryland has only two of them.
There’s also the state-sponsored lottery — you can buy lotto tickets and scratch-off cards in any convenience store. Charitable gambling is popular in Maryland as well; it consists of games such as bingo, raffle, paddlewheel, and wheel of fortune.
Note that a couple of these games are rigorously regulated; for example, raffles are available only twice per year.
Future of Online Gambling in Maryland
In the past, Maryland’s legislation was more than strict regarding gambling. However, this Mid-Atlantic state is becoming more and more liberal as time passes. These days, Maryland has six land-based gambling establishments that offer the most popular casino games such as table games and slot machines.
Maryland was once a lot less permissive toward land-based casinos. However, during the course of the last decade, it altered its approach to gambling. Up until 2008, Maryland didn’t allow any type of brick-and-mortar gambling establishments, but a consensus was reached in the same year, enabling the state to offer slot games in a selected number of casinos.
It seems likely that Maryland will soon allow its gambling establishments to transfer their operations to the web. While the Free State doesn’t currently allow web-based gambling, it does permit its citizens to bet on daily fantasy sports.
FAQ
No, they are not; Maryland’s laws strictly forbid all kinds of online gambling. However, you can choose to play at offshore casinos which are regulated and safe.
You need to be at least 18 years old in order to place pari-mutuel bets or play bingo and lottery. On the other hand, if you want to play casino games, you need to be 21 or older.
Yes, there are. Maryland has six brick-and-mortar casinos, as well as two horse racetracks.
Unfortunately, online poker isn’t legal in Maryland. If you don’t want to risk being prosecuted, think twice before playing poker in this state.
About the Author
Tum
Administrator/moderator and fixer of things that break on blackjackinfo.com. Tum has contributed to the LCB network for over 10 years working with numerous casino, poker and sports affiliate websites.
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