BetMGM Maryland Fined $146,000 After Accusations of Accepting Early Bets

The rollout of Maryland sports betting has definitely been a success! It took a while for the state’s betting market to launch, but now anyone that’s at least 21 years of age can start placing bets. Since the launch on November 23rd, 2022, several sports betting operators have made their way into the state.

And, while most had a pretty smooth rollout, one of the top mobile sportsbooks has just hid a rough patch with a recent fine. Here’s what you need to know about the recent punishment given to BetMGM Sportsbook Maryland.

Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission Fines BetMGM $146K

BetMGM Sportsbook has just been handed a substantial penalty in the state of Maryland. According to Casino.org, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission (MLGC) has fined the MGM Resorts International betting platform $146,000 for accepting early wagers.

While Maryland launched its sports betting market on November 23rd, 2023, BetMGM, who had just received a betting license from the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC), took some early bets.

While the mobile betting app didn’t technically admit fault in this particular case, it did accept the final fine amount from the MLGC.

The wagers reportedly took place as early as November 16th, 2022, a full week before legal online betting was permitted. Wagers placed before the legal launch were fully refunded to user accounts, and each was given an extra $50 in free betting credits.

Maryland Sees Major November Betting Handle

Although sports betting was only available for a little over a week in November of 2022, plenty of sports bettors still put big wagers on different events. To close out November, the Old Line State saw a total of $186 million in bets throughout the month.

The top mobile sports betting site throughout the eight days of betting availability was FanDuel Sportsbook Maryland. While FanDuel was on top with $89.95 million in bets, DraftKings Sportsbook Maryland wasn’t far behind with $69.6 million in bets. BetMGM Sportsbook Maryland came in third, with a $15.1 million total.

Retail sportsbooks located at local sports like Bingo World in Baltimore and Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland still remained strong throughout the month, bringing in $33 million in total sports betting handle.

Maryland Sports Teams Have Rough Weekend

The two most popular NFL teams in the Old Line State, the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders, ended up losing in Week 15. The Ravens took on the division rival Cleveland Browns on Saturday, with the team losing 13-3 with QB Tyler Huntley under center. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders suffered a frustrating loss to the New York giants on Sunday Night Football, with the team losing 20-12 despite a strong comeback effort.

The Maryland Terrapins, meanwhile, will play in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday, December 30th, taking on No. 25 North Carolina State. The Terrapins are currently closely favored in the game, although it will be interesting to see if the line moves between now and kickoff. You can definitely expect Maryland sports bettors to place some big wagers on the game.