MD Draft iGaming Bill Summary + Key Points
January 2, 2024
Before the holidays iDEA obtained a copy of Senator Watson’s draft iGaming bill for the upcoming session. Two areas of interest for iDEA are the tax rate and ensuring sufficient market access opportunities. Please find a more complete summary of the bill below.
Summary:
- Internet gaming license can be awarded to existing casinos (6 video lottery operators in MD)
- Each licensee can contract with two operators (12 skins)
- 46 percent tax rate (promotional play can be deducted)
- 1% of taxes goes to Problem Gambling Fund and the rest to education trust fund
- $1m initial license fee; renewal is 1% of avg. annual proceeds retained by a licensee for the proceeding 3 years
- Fees to cover administrative costs of the md lottery for overseeing iGaming
- 1% of fee to go to Problem Gambling Fund
- Any remaining fees goes to education trust fund
- No Credit Card use to fund internet gambling
- Authorized games expressly include poker tournaments (unclear is cash games are permissible), table games and “any other games typically offered in a casino.” This would include slot games.
- Mandatory problem gambling disclosure at account registration, includes outlining the risks of gambling, pg resources and requires account holder to certify that they read it.
- Commission must issue annual report to governor on problem gambling/addiction and the effectiveness of regulations to ensure integrity.
- Also Commission must share “data and metrics” with Morgan State and Bowie State universities.
- Express provisions for “live dealer” including requirement that live dealer studios are located in the state, but not required to be housed at a casino.
A link to the draft iGaming bill is here.