Maryland Eyes Sports Betting Revenue to Address Growing Deficit

Michael Savio
By: Michael Savio
11/29/2024
Sports Betting
Photo by Patrick Gillespie, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo by Patrick Gillespie, CC BY-SA 4.0

Key Takeaways

  • Maryland has generated $116 million in tax revenue since launching two years ago
  • The state has a deficit of $2.7 billion for the upcoming fiscal year
  • The education system is driving the massive deficit

Maryland’s sports betting market has thrived over the last two years, but so has its deficit.

Since launching legal sports betting two years ago, the Free State has brought in over $116 million in tax revenue. The market continues outperforming expectations, with an operator tax rate of 15%. 

However, the state also faces a $2.7 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year, leading some legislatures to wonder if the industry can help address the massive deficit.

Discussions over Tax Rate Begin

While no bill has been introduced, legislatures have begun to discuss raising its 15% tax rate openly. Some believe that increasing the rate could help bring in the money needed to reduce the massive deficit. Others believe letting the market grow naturally will do more good over the long term. 

"We have plenty of taxes, plenty of fees, so I would not be inclined. I'm not going to be supporting new taxes on the online gambling. This is a new venue, a new area of business, it's prospering, it's doing well. Let it grow, let it grow," State Senator Johnny Mautz told the media.

Mautz’s sentiments echo those from other states considering raising their rate, most of which ultimately failed.

Education Largest Contributor to the Deficit

Those showing early support for raising the tax rate have pointed to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future as a reason why. This education plan receives the bulk of tax revenue from sports betting, but it is also the leading driver of the large deficit. Some believe the state’s sports betting market isn’t doing enough, making a higher tax rate the most reasonable solution. 

Early opponents believe that a higher rax rate could chase operators out of the market or lead them to pass on higher costs to their consumers. If the market’s tax revenue from sports betting shrinks, the deficit could skyrocket even higher.

Operators Winning Battle Over Tax Increases

Maryland isn’t the only state looking to increase its tax revenue from sports betting. Several other markets have seen proposals to increase the tax rate on operators, but almost all have failed.

The most recent example came in Louisiana, where a bill to nearly triple the tax rate was recently introduced. The outcry from the industry and its supporters caused the bill's sponsor to defer it just two days later. 

Michael Savio covers the US online casino industry, giving readers insights and information they won’t find anywhere else. He has followed the retail industry since his time living in Las Vegas and has continued to do so as the online industry has taken off. Michael covers everything from online casino reviews to industry news, making him one of the most trusted insiders in the business. Check out Michael’s latest articles at casinos.com to see what he has to offer!