Why Maryland sportsbooks are just a fraction of sports wagering

There are 13 retail sportsbooks in Maryland, at casinos and sports bars, and 12 approved sports betting apps — but apps account for the vast majority of wagering every month.

In May, retail sports wagering locations accounted for $12 million in wagering. Mobile apps logged more than $419 million, or more than 95% of all betting. Retail generated $131,000 in taxes for the state in May, compared to $6.8 million to the state from mobile apps.

One reason sports betting parlors so significantly trail mobile wagering in Maryland is that Maryland is not Las Vegas, and Maryland is also not unique, with sports betting legal in 38 states and the District.

“I think a lot of people thought there would be a tourist draw with these retail sportsbooks. And it really hasn’t quite happened,” said Steve Bittenbender at BetMaryland.

Sportsbooks do have draws that apps do not; mainly, the experience. Multiple large screens showing several live sporting events simultaneously, bars and food and a general social atmosphere that gamblers don’t get from their phone. But Bittenbender says sports fans can create that same experience without having to go someplace.

“People have realized that they can stay at home and watch a couple of games at the same time in their basement or their den, and bet from multiple sportsbooks from their phone. So that has taken some of the allure out of the sportsbook experience,” he said.

Sportsbooks are not irrelevant by any means. They are marketing draws for casinos and bars, and have guardrails sports betting apps don’t necessarily have.

“Some do it for responsible gaming purposes. I’ve had a friend of mine tell me he will not put an app on his phone because he knows that is too much of a temptation. It is better for him to place bets at a kiosk,” Bittenbender said.

The majority of tax revenue Maryland casinos send to the state goes to its Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund for public education programs. But expired prizes, or winnings not collected by bettors, go to the state’s Problem Gambling Fund. Since December 2021, when Maryland sports wagering began, $3.1 million has gone to the Problem Gambling Fund.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story misstated the total amount of tax contributions from retail sportsbooks and mobile apps in Maryland. The story has been updated.