In the near future, you may be able to place sports bets that are fully legal. If you’re interested, you should learn more about the process of legalising sports gambling in Maryland.
The Maryland General Assembly is currently in the middle of a lengthy deliberations on whether to end prohibition and allow for legal sports betting. If you’re a fan of sports betting, the next few months will be very exciting. Just remember: this is a long process and it might not be over yet.
Current Status Of Maryland’s Legalization Process
The latest news report indicates that the Maryland General Assembly is now in the process of voting on the bill that would legalise sports betting in the state. You can follow the progress of this bill by visiting the official website of the Maryland General Assembly. This website provides information about each bill as it is voted on by the Assembly. As of March 9th, 2019, the bill was approved by the Public Safety Committee and now awaits further action by the House of Delegates.
This is a very encouraging sign that the legislature is finally moving in the right direction in regard to legalising sports betting in Maryland. In 2022, the citizens of Maryland will finally be able to place legal wagers on the outcomes of sporting events. Let’s hope that the process is as quick and painless as possible.
The Need For This Legislative Action
The need for this legislative action is twofold. First, it will provide citizens with a way to legally wager on sports that they are interested in following. Second, it will provide for tax collections that the state can use to fund various government programmes. It has been 20 years since sports betting was legal in Maryland, and the state government has been unable to generate enough tax revenues from this activity to completely fund the various government programmes that they oversee.
This is not to say that legal sports betting in Maryland cannot generate a substantial amount of tax revenues. The state of New York generated nearly $15 billion in 2018 alone from legalised sports betting. If Maryland legalised sports betting and implemented a 12% flat tax on all wagers, that would represent an annual boost of approximately $2.2 billion. This would more than adequately cover the cost of implementing and maintaining a legal betting scheme in the state.
What Will Happen If Maryland Legalises Sports Betting?
If Maryland legalises sports betting, it will be the case that the federal government will no longer have jurisdiction over this activity. The legality of sports betting will be a state issue solely. This will open up a whole new world of possibilities for gamblers in the state.
While the federal government will no longer have jurisdiction over this area, it does mean that they can’t simply wave a hand and make it disappear. States will still have to adhere to federal regulations and recommendations when implementing legal betting schemes. This also means that a lot of work will have to be done to make sure that the integrity of sporting events is upheld and that any issues relating to anti-sports betting legislation are addressed. Without question, the future of legalised sports betting is extremely promising.
When Will Legalising Sports Betting In Maryland Be Complete?
The process of legalising sports betting in Maryland will take some time to complete. Once the bill is passed by the House of Delegates and signed by the Governor, it will be a case of implementing the legislation and starting the process of collecting taxes and fees from sports bookmakers. It is not anticipated that this will happen overnight.
However, with a bit of organisation and planning, it’s possible to have legalised sports betting in Maryland by the end of next year.
What Forms Will The Tax Be Collected In?
The first form that the tax will be collected in will be the traditional manner – via direct cash payouts to the state. There are a variety of ways that the state can implement this aspect of the legalisation process. For example, they could require sports bookmakers to use a coupon scheme where customers are given a discount on their play. They could also opt to implement a points-based system where participants are given points for each wager placed. The collected taxes could then be applied to various government programmes.
However, as we’ve established, legalised sports betting in Maryland will not be a one-off event. It will be an on-going source of revenue for the state. Therefore, it’s important that the authorities take a long view and devise a sustainable tax collection strategy. This means that even after the initial rush of applying the new law has died down, the state will still have to find a way to fund their various government programmes. One option could be to adjust the existing lottery system so that it applies to sporting events as well. For example, the Maryland State Lottery could hold weekly jackpots for sporting events with the proceeds going to the state’s general coffers. This would give the state an additional source of income that they can apply toward various government programmes. It will be a case of finding a way to maximise the revenue that the state can generate from legalised sports betting.
At this point, it’s important to remember that this is still early days in the legalisation process and a lot can still go wrong. However, the tide is certainly turning in favour of legalised sports betting in Maryland. The time for action is now, and the future of this exciting activity looks extremely promising.