【willbet Sportsbook】Maryland regulator publishes list of legal and illegal online operators

This initiative aims to help consumers identify platforms that have been licensed by the state and those operating without authorisation.

Currently, Maryland permits only two forms of online gaming: sports wagering through licensed operators and online fantasy competitions via registered operators.

No other real-money online or mobile gaming platforms are legally allowed to operate within the state.

Categorisation of online gaming platforms

According to the list, Maryland Lottery and Gaming has classified online gaming platforms into three distinct categories:

Licensed Online/Mobile Sports Wagering Operators

Platforms that have been officially approved and licensed to offer online sports betting services in the state. The list includes:

– Bally Bet Sportsbook

– BetMGM

– betParx

– BetRivers

– Caesars Sportsbook

– Crab Sports

– DraftKings

– ESPNBet

– Fanatics Sportsbook

– FanDuel

– LetsBetMD

Registered Online/Mobile Fantasy Competition Operators

Companies that provide fantasy sports competitions and have obtained the necessary registration from the state. The licensed fantasy sports operators are:

– AthStat

– DataForce Fantasy Football

– DraftKings

– FanDuel

– Fantasy Football Player’s Championship

– FastDraft

– FullTime Fantasy

– GullyCricket

– Knockout Fantasy Sports

– OwnersBox

– RealTime Fantasy Sports

– Splash Sports

– SportsHub

– Underdog Sports

– Yahoo Fantasy Sports

Illegal Operators – Cease-and-Desist Letters Issued

This category includes online platforms that have been found to be operating without a valid licence and have subsequently received cease-and-desist orders from the regulator.

However, Maryland Lottery and Gaming clarified that this is not an exhaustive list of all illegal operators, but rather those that have been directly notified of their non-compliance.

So far, Maryland has issued cease-and-desist letters to the following:

– Bet US

– BetAnySports

– BetNow.eu

– Esport Newco (Blitz-Win Cash; Pool Blitz-Win Cash; Pool Blitz-Win; Bingo-Win Cash; Match3-Win Cash)

– Everygame

– Fortune Coins

– Golden Hearts

– High Entertainment (High 5 Casino)

– McLuck

– Rebet

– SlotsandCasino

– Stake.us

– VGW (Chumba Casino; Luckyland Slots)

– Zula

Legislative action to tighten online gaming regulations progresses

The release of this list coincides with ongoing legislative efforts to further regulate online gaming in Maryland.

Lawmakers are currently considering Senate Bill 860 (SB 860) and its counterpart House Bill 1140 (HB 1140), which seek to impose stricter controls on online gambling, particularly targeting sweepstakes casinos.

SB 860 has already been approved by the Maryland Senate and is set for discussion in the House Ways and Means Committee today.

If enacted, the bill would prohibit the operation, promotion, and facilitation of online sweepstakes games.

The legislation defines sweepstakes as games that use a dual-currency system, where players can exchange in-game currency for cash, prizes, or cash equivalents.

This measure is intended to close loopholes that allow unlicensed operators to function under the guise of promotional or sweepstakes-based gaming.

In addition to targeting sweepstakes casino operators, the proposed legislation would also hold game suppliers accountable.

Companies that develop or provide gaming software to unlicensed sweepstakes operators could face penalties, further limiting the ability of such platforms to operate within the state.