The Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) met Wednesday, approving the diversity plans of 10 sports wagering licensees.
Commissioners wanted licensees to share information related to creating a diverse ownership group, as well as proposed timelines to reach diversity objectives. The 10 entities that shared their plans were quickly approved Wednesday by the SWARC.
“It’s been a long couple of years to get to this point, and I think we’ve got some real substance in those plans,” SWARC Chairman Thomas Brandt Jr. said. “Now it’ll be on us to monitor that the execution matches the plans.”
Promoting diversity in the state’s sports betting industry is a major goal for the SWARC. Here’s the list of the 10 entities that had their diversity plans approved:
- Bingo World (BetRivers)
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- Horseshoe Casino Baltimore (Caesars Sportsbook)
- Greenmount OTB (betPARX)
- Long Shot’s (Betfred)
- Maryland Stadium Sub (FedEx Field/Fanatics Sportsbook)
- PENN Maryland/Hollywood Casino Perryville (Barstool Sportsbook)
- Live! Casino & Hotel (FanDuel)
- Riverboat on the Potomac (PointsBet)
The diversity plans are expected to be posted on the SWARC website in the near future.
Upcoming Maryland entrants
Fanatics will launch its retail sportsbook on Friday, and the operator’s mobile sportsbook is also expected to enter the Maryland market soon. Additionally, betPARX and Betfred are expected to launch mobile sportsbooks in Maryland in the coming months.
Bally Bet and WynnBET were each recently awarded mobile sports betting licenses by the SWARC, but neither operator has gone live. The two operators are expected to start taking wagers in Maryland soon, but neither side has shared official launch plans, and their diversity plans are expected to be discussed on Feb. 15, which is the date of SWARC’s next meeting.
It’s possible that Maryland could have 20 mobile sports betting operators live in the state by the end of 2023. Currently, seven mobile sportsbooks are live in Maryland, which allowed digital operators to launch at the end of November.
