Legal Online Casinos in Maryland
All About Online Casinos in Maryland (summary)
Maryland does not allow legal online casino gambling, though it offers various other gambling options. While land-based casinos and sports betting are legal, online casino gambling remains prohibited.
Key Points
- Land-Based Casinos: Maryland legalized land-based casinos in 2008, with six commercial casinos operating in the state.
- Illegal Online Casinos: While illegal offshore casinos exist, players should avoid them due to potential risks.
- Sweepstakes Casinos: Legal in Maryland, sweepstakes casinos offer virtual currencies and the chance to win real money through rewards points.
- Online Casino Legalization: Online casinos are not yet legalized, though there is ongoing lobbying. It may take until 2026 for legalization.
- Other Gambling Forms: Sports betting, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), and the lottery are legal in Maryland.
Conclusion
Online casino gambling remains illegal in Maryland, but players can use sweepstakes casinos as a legal alternative. Other gambling forms, like sports betting and DFS, are fully regulated and accessible.
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More about Online Gambling in Maryland
Maryland legalized land-based casino gambling in 2008 and has 6 commercial brick-and-mortar casinos spread across the country. The Old Line State also has a thriving retail and online sports betting market, but sadly, online casino gambling is still an illegal activity.
While Maryland still doesn’t offer legalized online casino games, there are illegal online casinos that allow players to access their iGaming portfolio and play real money casino games. These are usually offshore gambling sites. However, we advise players in Maryland to stay away from unlicensed casino operators as there are multiple risks involved.
If you have a dispute with an illegal online casino, there is no legal recourse to recover your winnings. Engaging in illegal online casino activity in Maryland is considered a misdemeanor and carries a fine of $1,000. You can even get a 5-year prison sentence.
The best option for players looking for an online casino experience is to sign up and play at sweepstakes casinos. Maryland allows sweepstakes casinos to offer their services legally to players over the age of 18. If you are looking for reliable sweepstakes platforms, check out our featured list of Maryland sweepstakes casinos.
Best Sweepstakes Casinos in Maryland
The term sweepstakes casinos may not be familiar to many players as they are often confused with online casinos. While there are certain similarities between sweepstakes casinos and online casinos, the way they operate is completely different.
Online casinos offer various game categories, such as slots, progressive jackpot games, live dealer casino games, table games and more. Players can use real money to play casino games and win real money at online casinos. However, sweepstakes casinos are different because they don’t allow you to use real money directly to play casino games. However, what makes sweepstakes sites so attractive is the fact that you can still win real cash at these platforms. It’s not the same as at standard gambling sites, but you can still collect winnings if you follow specific rules.
Sweepstakes casinos offer players a similar online casino gaming environment with games like slots, specialty games and table games. However, instead of real money, sweepstakes casinos offer Sweeps Coins (SC) and Gold Coins (GC) as virtual money options. Players can use GC to play free games and SC to play games and win reward points.
These reward points can be exchanged for a money gift card from Amazon (an example). Or, you can redeem them for real cash and transfer the money to your bank account or e-wallet. These sweepstakes casinos give out a bunch of GC and SC as part of their welcome bonus offer when you register an account. You also have the option to use real money to purchase GC, and when you do, these platforms usually give some SC as a reward. Why? The reason is simple – you can’t buy Sweeps Coins. You can only win them as a bonus or when you purchase Gold Coins.
Key Features of Maryland Sweepstakes Casinos
- Sweepstakes casinos are legal in Maryland.
- You can’t play real money casino games.
- Players can only use virtual currency, Gold Coins or Sweep Coins, to play games.
- Gold Coins are used to play free games.
- Sweep Coins allow you to play games and win reward points.
- Reward points can be redeemed directly into your bank account or for gift cards.
- You will get virtual currencies via different bonuses and promotions.
- You can purchase Gold Coins using cash.
- Sweeps Coins cannot be bought directly for real money.
We have carefully reviewed and shortlisted the best sweepstakes casinos in Maryland that give you the chance to play casino-style games and win real money without breaking any laws in Maryland.
The Legalization of Online Casinos in Maryland
Maryland continues to lobby for online casino legalization. House Bill (HB) 1319 ended up clearing the House by a 92-43 vote in March 2024, but it didn’t get past the Senate. The opposition to online gambling in Maryland is due to the fear that a legalized iGaming market would eat into the revenues of the existing land-based casino industry and cause a rise in problem gambling.
On the other hand, iGaming lobbyists continue to push for the legalization of online poker and online casino games. However, the way things stand, it appears unlikely that Maryland could offer any form of online casino games until 2026.
Other Types of Online Gambling in Maryland
Maryland still doesn’t allow online casino gambling. However, you can enjoy every other form of gambling in the Free State, as they are all legal. Here are the different gambling options Marylanders can pick in this state and enjoy without legal consequences.
Sports Betting
Maryland decided to legalize sports betting in early 2021, and just 7 months later, retail sportsbooks were up and running. With the retail sports betting market thriving, the push to legalize online sports betting gained momentum. As a result, the online sports betting market went live on November 23, 2022.
Maryland has 12 active online sportsbooks and mobile betting apps allowing anyone over 21 to register and start betting. You must be physically present within the state to register a sports betting account. Some of the most popular sportsbooks in Maryland are BetMGM Sports, ESPN Bet, Fanatics Sportsbook, and Caesars Sportsbook.
Land Based Casinos
Maryland has a thriving land-based casino industry that has been active since 2008. The six active casinos in the state play a big role in providing employment opportunities, generating steady tax revenue for the state government and helping with tourism numbers in the state. These gambling venues were responsible for bringing in just under $170M in revenue in July 2024, which is pretty impressive. Here’s the list of all brick-and-mortar establishments in the state: MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Ocean Downs in Berlin, Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore in Baltimore, Hollywood Casino Perryville in Perryville and Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover.
Daily Fantasy Sports
The Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) industry is licensed and regulated in Maryland by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC). There are over 12 active DFS operators in the state that offer real-money DFS games and tournaments.
Players must be physically present in Maryland and over the age of 18 to register for a DFS account. DFS operators make use of Geo-location technology to verify if the individual is physically present in Maryland before permitting them to register an account.
Lottery
Finally, this US state has a licensed lottery run by the MLGCC. It allows anyone physically present in the state and older than 18 to purchase lottery tickets at licensed retail lottery outlets and online lottery sites. Some of the most popular lottery draws in Maryland are Powerball and Mega Millions.
FAQ About Sweepstakes Casinos in Maryland
No, sweepstakes casinos are legal in Maryland as they don’t offer real money games directly. You must be over 18 and physically present in the state to register at sweepstakes casinos.
The best way to find top sweepstakes casinos is to look at our recommended list of sweepstakes casinos in Maryland and choose one that you like.
Sweepstakes casinos tend to offer a collection of slots, table games and specialty games.
No. You will not find any sports betting options at sweepstakes casinos in Maryland. Instead, you can register at a licensed sportsbook to bet on your favorite sports and leagues.
Yes. The biggest difference between sweepstakes casinos and online casinos is that sweepstakes casinos don’t accept real money, whereas online casinos do. However, you can use Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins at sweepstakes casinos to win points playing casino games and then redeem these points for real money.
