Maryland Casino Laws
One of the most difficult things to maintain in the United States is a responsible hobby gambling for recreation and a little bit of profit. It’s not because the act itself is hard to do, but rather because the legal landscape surrounding gambling in the state of Maryland is so murky and restrictive.
While certain types of gambling are illegal and prosecuted under each state's gaming statutes, many states have relaxed some of their gambling statutes and permitted limited casinos and other gaming venues like card rooms. While Maryland gambling laws allow betting on horse racing, most other types of gambling are prohibited in the state. These same laws do not have any language deeming licensed and regulated offshore sportsbooks as illegal. Residents can legally access these types of offshore casino operators without violating any Maryland state or federal gambling laws. Legally Licensed Online Casinos Accepting Maryland Players. These are the Maryland casino websites that have.
Scratch that. There are actually plenty of ways that an honest citizen may legally gamble without running into any legal interference from Maryland gambling laws, unfortunately, popular opinion to the contrary, incorrect though it may be, has influenced more prospective gamblers than any honest information they may come across. The purpose if this webpage is to rectify that problem by providing a comprehensive and in depth look at all the laws the state of Maryland enforces which may prohibit gambling.
While federal law which governs all US citizens clearly turns the facilitation of gambling into a criminal act, it specifically leaves out any wording that may pertain to those who merely wish to participate in gambling or betting. From here, there are many states in the union that opt to take policy a bit further in their own hands, further muddying the situation Maryland is one such state.
Legality: Is Gambling Legal In Maryland...Is It Safe?
The first and most important thing to point out is that the State of Maryland did actually bother to define gambling, as well as a punishment for the act. Maryland state code chapter 12-102 heading (a) subsection one clearly states that a resident of Maryland may not bet, wager or gamble, and that anyone caught doing so, in accordance with heading (b) of the same chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The punishment for this crime could be six months to one year of jail time as well as a fine of up to $1000.
This is the bad news. However, there is some good news as well. First of all, with new legislation as of 2007 that has allotted the construction of more state sanctioned, land based casinos, policy towards gambling in the state of Maryland has become more relaxed. As a result, the act of merely “gambling,” even outside of state sanctioned facilities, has never been charged against otherwise honest citizens living in Maryland.
In fact, even if one searches the books back as far as the 1960’s for gambling arrests, they will fail to find an instance in which a citizen has been brought in simply for gambling charges. Interestingly enough, the only cases of arrests for gambling in Maryland have been in cases in which citizens ban themselves from casinos, and are subsequently arrested for violating restraining orders that they themselves filed.
In Maryland, it seems that as long as a resident takes care not to file a restraining order against themselves, that all casual gamblers should be able to avoid any legal attention.
This is not to say that all gambling acts within the state are free from any consequence. Maryland residents must be careful to avoid what the law calls “forwarding gambling.” As defined in chapter 12-102 heading (a) subsections 2,3, and 4 of the Maryland gambling laws, forwarding gambling actually carries the exact same penalties as gambling in accordance with the law, but is really the only way in which one who gambles in “the old line state” could get in trouble for gambling.
Difference Between Gambling & Forwarding Gambling
Luckily for those in Maryland who have an interest in casual gambling for a hobby, there is a bigger distinction between the acts of “gambling” and “forwarding gambling” then simply whether or not one will be prosecuted for doing one or the other.
Whereas gambling is simple to define as the act of placing a bet or wager, in order for a bet or wager to be placed, at least two parties must be present. One to place the bet, and the other to take the bet. The one who takes the bet is more than likely guilty of forwarding gambling. In order to fully meet the bill for this criminal offense, there is usually one more stipulation.
List Of Casinos In Maryland
In addition to facilitating the bet, the guilty party usually must also profit in some way off of the gambling event. In this case, profiting from gambling does not mean coming out ahead in bets or wagers, but rather setting oneself up to profit from a gambling event without actually placing a bet or wager themselves.
Is There A Casino In Maryland
Some popular ways of doing this are running a private poker game in which the offender either charges admission for the privilege to play or collects a “rake” (a small percentage of each pot given to the house as profit,) owns or operates a sportsbook in which they are responsible for paying out winners and collecting money from losers, or even operating a casino game as the “house,” who by definition always has the greatest odds to win the game.
So long as Maryland residents avoid these specific actions and signing restraining orders against themselves, they should be able to avoid any legal complications when attempting to gamble within their home state.
Gambling Laws In MD: What They Say & What they Mean
In accordance with several Federal Laws, the facilitation of sports betting for profit is strictly forbidden in all but four states in the country. As a result, no land based facilities or riverboat casinos may offer legal sports betting to Maryland residents.
However, all hope on the subject is not lost. Maryland residents take advantage of legal online sportsbooks every day in order to place bets on the Ravens, Orioles, or any other team that catches their interest. Even though bookmaking is criminalized by both federal and state law, there are no laws against the actual act of placing a bet or wager on a sports event.
While there was a surge in Maryland that allowed construction of several land based casinos, legislation slowed down on the subject for a time and no new licenses were issued. Thankfully, in 2007 legislation picked back up and the sanction for Maryland’s biggest casino yet was approved to begin construction. Once the casino is complete in winter of 2016, it’s expected there will be more in the works, quietly turning Maryland into one of the biggest gambling states in the union.
Even for gamblers who do not enjoy gambling in loud casinos, the news is fairly good. With lax enforcement towards the act of gambling, many Maryland residents have signed up for legal online casinos and are logging in every day for a fully customizable gaming experience away from all the bright lights and labyrinth like designs.
Whereas there are certain states who define poker differently from other forms of gambling so they may set up cheaper, profitable standalone poker rooms, Maryland is not such a state. Even so, with a high plethora of casinos open to the general public, there is no shortage of poker tables open to Maryland residents. They may play in tournaments or sit-n-go style in a casino setting.
However, if s poker fan doesn’t want to visit a casino, Maryland gambling laws will not prosecute home games, be they private games among friends (just so long as the host does not collect a profit or sell goods at the game) or games played over the internet at legal, international poker rooms. If a Maryland resident finds themselves up late at night watching the world series of poker, there should be nothing stopping them from logging on the computer and giving it a try for themselves.
Maryland Legal Gambling Age: How Old To Bet In Maryland?
If nothing else can be garnered from this page, take at least that the situation regarding gambling in Maryland is complicated at best. The last thing any resident interested in legal gambling should want to do is complicate things further by introducing new restrictions into the fold. If anyone in Maryland opts to gamble before they reach 21 years of age, the legal age for gambling in their home state, complicating things is exactly what they will do.
If anyone under 21 is caught gambling, they will not only face penalties from the state including hefty fines, community service, and maybe even jail time, but whichever facility they were gambling in will surely ban them as well as force them to forfeit any winnings they may otherwise be entitled to. There are things in life worth waiting for, and legal gambling is one of them. There is no reason to ruin a good thing by rushing.
| General | Lottery | Casinos | Poker | Pari-Mutuel | Bingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 18 | 21 | 18 or 21 | 18 | 18 |
Where Can I Gamble in Maryland?
On-Land: Maryland was already home to several casinos, but now that a casino valued at over $950 million will be opening in Baltimore, the state may have a game changer on its hands. While sports betting will not be able to be offered in accordance with current federal law, Maryland residents should be able to occupy themselves with all manner of table games, slot machines and poker tables.
Of course, there are still several other state sanctioned gambling facilities spread throughout the state, and for a state as small as Maryland, a little goes a long way. Still, they may continue to be a bit of a drive for those who do not live nearby one, and an afternoon at a casino will usually eat a huge chunk of time, making a casual gambling hobby unlikely. Still, it’s hard to argue with the facilities that a $950 million dollar building can offer.
Online/Web-Based: In addition to several land based casinos, Maryland residents always have the option to turn to legal online gambling sites open to Maryland residents as well. While we have already established that Maryland gambling laws say a resident is merely taking part in a gambling event is unlikely to be punished, a reader may be wondering how a gambling website can operate in the state of Maryland which has such strict enforcement over unsanctioned gambling within the state.
The answer is simple, the legal gambling networks listed on this page are all located overseas, putting them well outside of not only Maryland jurisdiction, but federal jurisdiction at large. Since Maryland residents can participate in these gambling sites free from fear of prosecution and these sites can simultaneously operate legally in their home countries, there should be no worries attached to a membership with one.
However, the prospect of gambling with a foreign business can make some Maryland residents jumpy. Luckily, there is no cause for concern. In order to operate as legal, legitimate businesses, these gambling networks must not only adhere to strict regulations from their homelands, but also to the standards of reputable, international gaming commissions. These gaming commissions ensure that all products they endorse not only offer fair play to all members, but secure, reliable and speedy payouts that the players are entitled to.
When gambling online as a member of one of these trusted networks, there is no reason to ever believe a payout will not be processed. Maryland residents should consider joining the hundreds of thousands of Americans who log onto these sites every day and finally see what all the fuss is about.
Gambling Sites That Take Maryland Residents
All Types Of Gambling Available - Highly Trusted!
If you need to find a gambling site that is not only backed by one of the most reputable gaming brands in the industry, but also one that has over 20 years of service to a specifically American clientele, the first bet you make be at SportsBetting.ag. In their long years of service they have racked up a stable of millions of loyal customers, including thousands of Maryland residents, and more are signing up every day. In addition, SportsBetting has earned endorsements from US media giants like CBS and ESPN who do not loan out their name lightly. But, don't get fooled by the name! There is much more to this book than what the cover says as SportsBetting has a highly rated live dealer casino, regular casino games, a bustling online poker room, as well as an online racebook that features tons of Preakness Stakes wagers when it is that time of the year...the complete package!
When you do finally settle in with SportsBetting, you’ll find collecting your payouts to be a breeze. As often as once a month, this legal Maryland gambling site will cover all expenses associated with sending you a check by courier, meaning you get to put more of your winnings right back in your bank account where they belong. SportsBetting is always the clear choice!
Other top-Rated Maryland Betting Sites
Learning More: What To Do If You Need Additional Help
We here at MarylandGamblingLaws.com are gamblers who are passionate about the law, not the other way around. Therefore, while we are confident that all the information on this page is accurate, this cannot be considered a legal consultation. Any further questions about Maryland gambling laws should be directed towards a lawyer, or the official Maryland legislation found at mgaleg.maryland.gov.