The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) voted Wednesday to approve a set of draft regulations and application forms for prospective mobile and Class B facility sportsbook operators, according to a BizJournals report. The drafts will head next to the Maryland General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review for emergency approval.
Per Gaming Today, “SWARC hopes to have a decision from the state legislative administrative rules committee by the next scheduled SWARC meeting on Aug. 17. That will start the clock on a public comment period (which is typically 30 days), and move the emergency rules toward final approval. That said, a mobile launch by NFL kickoff on Sept. 8 looks unlikely.”
Last month, Governor Larry Hogan released a letter calling on SWARC to take immediate actions to launch mobile sports betting in the State of Maryland, noting the significant public outcry in response to a series of needless bureaucratic delays. He urged the commission to help push mobile live in Maryland by the 2022 NFL season kickoff on Sept. 8. “Instead of decisive action to implement the voters’ decision, you have allowed the process to stagnate and become mired in overly bureaucratic procedures that have needlessly delayed the state’s ability to maximize the revenue potential of this emerging industry,” wrote Governor Hogan. “Sports fans in Maryland simply want to be able to place bets on their mobile devices—that’s what they voted for, and they are angry and discouraged over SWARC’s inability to make it happen. … Our state and its citizens deserve clear and definitive action from SWARC and a legal, transparent framework to place mobile bets—not endless bureaucratic roadblocks that continue to hold back progress.”
For now SWARC has dropped race and gender-based criteria, in hopes of speeding up a process that has taken much longer than anticipated. Per the BizJournals report, “State law requires the SWARC to study the sports betting market and determine whether there is a legal basis for race- and gender-conscious measures in the application and evaluation process before awarding licenses.” Tom Brandt, SWARC chair, stated on Wednesday that the commission is waiting on the Office of the Attorney General and other entities to review a draft analysis.
DRAFT Regulations, DRAFT Sports Wagering Facility License Application, and DRAFT Mobile Sports Wagering License Applications can be seen here.