Maryland’s new sports betting law will allow for Ocean Downs to build lodge
When Maryland lawmakers legalized sports activities betting this 7 days, they also designed a modify to the regulation that targets On line casino Ocean Downs in Worcester County.
The new athletics betting monthly bill gets rid of language that banned Ocean Downs from constructing a lodge inside 10 miles of the casino. That eases an obstacle that stood in the casino’s way as it prepared an enlargement to contend with Virginia gambling places.
Sen. Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery County), who served shepherd the sports betting monthly bill by the Basic Assembly, claimed the improve will aid Ocean Downs maintain up with the situations.
“It was outdated language from again in the day, when I guess they failed to want either competitiveness in Ocean Metropolis or other casinos did not have resorts connected to them, but which is no lengthier the situation,” Zucker said.
“During this whole method we desired to generate transparency, inclusiveness and equity throughout the board, and this is just one particular of the matters we did to catch up to modern-day periods,” he said.
In November, on line casino officials reported they were being looking at strategies to grow Ocean Downs’ footprint, including getting workarounds to point out law to establish a resort.
Basic Supervisor Bobbi Sample mentioned at the time that the on line casino had not committed to making a lodge. She could not straight away be achieved for remark Tuesday.
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Ocean Town officials and companies have elevated worries about the feasible casino growth and the plan of a hotel. They fear it will hurt vacation resort organizations, which include other hotels.
Ocean Downs is assured a license to host sporting activities betting beneath the new condition law, so extended as it meets simple vetting demands and pays a licensing fee.
Sports activities betting could be up and jogging in Maryland in time for the NFL season. The new legislation presents for 60 mobile betting licenses and licenses for the state’s professional sports activities stadiums, casinos and horse racing tracks, as well as up to 30 other brick-and-mortar companies.
