Maryland referendum on sports betting contingent on positive U.S. Supreme Court ruling

HB 1014, a bipartisan bill in the Maryland House designed to set up a state referendum on sports betting in the event of a positive US Supreme Court ruling in New Jersey’s attempt to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), has been approved overwhelmingly by the House on a vote of 124 to 14.

The state Senate Budget and Taxation Committee had a hearing March 7 on its own version of a sports gambling referendum, SB836, sponsored by Sen. Nancy King, along with a majority of the committee.

The Maryland Reporter notes that the House bill would allow the issue of whether the state should permit sports betting at Maryland casinos and horse racing tracks to be placed on the November state ballot in the event of a change to PASPA. A referendum is required in the event of changes to the state constitution.

Currently, only Nevada and Delaware permit sports gambling in their states, and Montana and Oregon may offer it under PASPA but do not. The four states were grandfathered in when the federal law was enacted. Sports betting is currently illegal in Maryland – the only exception is online fantasy league sports betting.

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Anne Kaiser, a co-sponsor of the HB1014, said Thursday on the House floor:

“Conventional wisdom is that the Supreme Court is going to overturn past congressional decision making.”

Legalised sports betting could give state revenues a boost; the Department of Legislative Services estimates annual gaming revenues at $33 million.