Maryland Warns Sports Bettors Ahead of Football Season: What Is and Isn’t Legal
Posted on: August 29, 2025, 11:28h.
Last updated on: August 29, 2025, 11:28h.
- Maryland gaming regulators are reminding bettors to use legal, regulated platforms
- Maryland has 11 licensed online sportsbooks to choose from
The college football season has kicked off, and soon, the NFL will join. As the most-bet sport in the United States returns, gaming regulators in Maryland are reminding the public to only engage with legal, regulated operators.
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) regulates most forms of gambling within the Old Line State. Online sportsbooks regulated by the MLGCA were allowed to begin taking bets on Nov. 23, 2022, ahead of the NFL’s traditional Thanksgiving smorgasbord of games.
The American Gaming Association estimates there will be $30 billion in legal bets made on NFL games this year alone. Many billions more will pour in on the college gridiron.
Maryland gaming regulators say its governed sportsbooks and fantasy sports platforms provide consumer protections, such as guarantees that winning bets will be paid and account withdrawals will be executed — something illegal operators do not.
This is a fun time of year for sports fans. Football season is something everybody looks forward and it’s also typically the busiest time of the year for sports wagering,” said Seth Elkin, a spokesperson for the MLGCA.
“We want to remind everyone of the legal options for sports wagering in Maryland, and how to tell the difference between the legal and illegal options,” Elkin explained.
Legal vs. Illegal
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming webpage recently included a section called “Legal vs. Illegal.” The tab specifies which online sports betting and fantasy sports websites are licensed and regulated by the state.
The website provides direct links to the state’s 11 licensed online sportsbooks — Bally Bet, BetMGM, betPARX, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, Crab Sports, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel, and LetsBetMD.
Links to Maryland’s 13 fantasy sports platforms are also provided — DataForce, DraftKings, FanDuel, Fantasy Football Player’s Championship, FastDraft, FullTime Fantasy, GullyCricket, OwnersBox, RealTime, Splash Sports, SportsHub, Underdog Sports, and Yahoo Fantasy Sports.
Any online sports betting and/or fantasy sports platform not named, the state gaming agency says, is “operating illegally in Maryland.”
The state gaming regulator additionally says social casinos masquerading as sweepstakes platforms are not legitimate and constitute illegal gambling. The MLGCA lists many illicit gaming websites that have been issued cease and desist orders, including Chumba, Stake, and High 5 Casino.
Maryland has also taken action against prediction markets, which claim to be offering derivative products and therefore fall under the regulatory scope of the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission — not state gaming regulators like the MLGCA.
Once such operator told to get out of the state is Kalshi, which is currently running contracts on whether Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino will be out before the end of the year and if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will get wed this year.
Responsible Betting
Elkin says that while consumers are protected on the legal sites named, and they each come with state-mandated responsible gaming measures, the player is most responsible for keeping their wagering in check.
“Please play responsibly within your [financial] means,” Elkin said. “It’s not a way of generating income. Keep it fun. Keep it social.”
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