Maryland SWARC Approves Policy Amendment

By John Isaac,
Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac is an editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He writes expert articles on card games like blackjack and poker. In addition, he is also well aware of the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets. You can rely on verified information and insightful details.

• Twitter
• Email

More About John Isaac

Last updated: September 5, 2022

Recently, with one accord, the Maryland SWARC (Sports Wagering Application Review Commission) passed a policy amendment demanding companies that are provided a mobile betting license in Maryland to provide a diversity plan. The body is working out the regulations, so the mobile betting launch won’t be in place for the kickoff of the NFL.

The diversity plan requested must be submitted to Maryland SWARC within 30 days of licensure approval. It should come with plans for receiving a group of contractors or owners and conducting events related to diversity. The plan should also contain proposed benchmarks and timelines for achieving diversity goals.

It is also expected of applicants to mention that they will put their best efforts to achieve the objectives and report metrics on diversity to Maryland’s Lottery and Gaming Control Commission. They must also make their plan publicly available.

David Stamper Says That License Will Not Be Cancelled Even If the Diversity Plan Is Deficient

WTOP reports that SWARC will “consider any type of diverse group where an applicant can demonstrate that an individual has been disadvantaged.” David Stamper, who is the Assistant Attorney General at the Office of Counsel to the Maryland General Assembly, mentioned that even if the diversity plan were inadequate, the license would still not be canceled. This information was reported by Maryland Matters.

The state’s Lottery and Gaming Control Agency managing director of organizational compliance, James Butler, stated that the agency and the commission would collaborate with an applicant to implement any action plan for correction needed to make sure they meet diversity requirements.

Mobile Sports Wagering Launch in the State Is Postponed Again

The new move by SWARC will cause another delay in the launch of mobile sports betting in the state. The expected mobile betting launch date looks to have been postponed once more. It misses out on the sports gambling calendar’s most lucrative period.

Maryland has already experienced one of the slowest launches in the country. Last year, the mobile sports betting industry was worth $4 billion. An estimated state revenue of between $15–$25 million is at stake. This is little in comparison to Maryland’s casinos, which, in July alone, brought in $76.1 million for the state.

In December, when Maryland made sports betting legal, John Martin, who is the Lottery and Gaming Director, was confident that the industry would have its mobile format already approved by the state by football season this fall.

Until they discovered how to make sure that sports betting licenses were spread to a diverse set of owners, Maryland’s policymakers refused to allow the industry to launch fully.

Maryland Commits to Making the Sports Betting Industry as Inclusive as Possible

Maryland has made a legal commitment to allow smaller companies to compete and has sought to make the industry very inclusive. At the end of last year, the state’s current casinos and a few other smaller brick-and-mortar locations were already given the first set of sports betting licenses that require physical betting at a facility.

According to state law, the subsequent round of so-called licenses, together with the other 60 needed to create the mobile betting industry, will only be awarded after a study on disparities examining whether firms owned by women and minorities were subjected to sports gambling discrimination.