EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0297*
SENATE BILL 297
C7 2lr1642
CF HB 339
By: Senators Young and Hough
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2022
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Gaming – Sports Wagering Facilities – Locations 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission from 3
awarding a sports wagering license to a facility located within a certain mile radius 4
of certain Class B–1 or B–2 sports wagering facilities located in certain counties; and 5
generally relating to sports wagering. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – State Government 8
Section 9–1E–06(a) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – State Government 14
9–1E–06. 15
(a) (1) On an award of a license by the Sports Wagering Application Review 16
Commission established under § 9–1E–15 of this subtitle, the Commission shall: 17
(i) issue a Class A–1 sports wagering facility license to an applicant 18
that meets the requirements for licensure under this subtitle who is: 19 2 SENATE BILL 297
1. a video lottery operator with more than 1,000 video lottery 1
terminals; or 2
2. A. the owner, or the designee of the owner, of a 3
stadium in Prince George’s County that is primarily used for professional football (NFL); 4
B. the owner, or the designee of the owner, of a professional 5
football (NFL) franchise that is a lessee of a stadium in Baltimore City; 6
C. the owner, or the designee of the owner, of a professional 7
major league baseball franchise that is a lessee of a stadium in Baltimore City; 8
D. the owner, or the designee of the owner, of a professional 9
hockey league (NHL) franchise, that is a lessee of a stadium in the State; 10
E. the owner, or the designee of the owner, of a professional 11
basketball association (NBA) franchise, that is a lessee of a stadium in the State; or 12
F. the owner, or the designee of the owner, of a professional 13
soccer league (MLS) franchise, that is a lessee of a stadium in the State; 14
(ii) issue a Class A–2 sports wagering facility license to an applicant 15
that meets the requirements for licensure under this subtitle who is: 16
1. a video lottery operator with 1,000 or fewer video lottery 17
terminals; or 18
2. a horse racing licensee; 19
(iii) subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, issue a Class 20
B–1 sports wagering facility license to any applicant who meets the requirements for 21
licensure under this subtitle and who is not eligible for a Class B–2 sports wagering facility 22
license; 23
(iv) subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, issue a Class 24
B–2 sports wagering facility license to any applicant who is a person with less than: 25
1. 25 full–time equivalent employees; or 26
2. $3,000,000 in annual gross receipts; and 27
(v) issue not more than 60 mobile sports wagering licenses to any 28
applicant who meets the requirements for licensure under this subtitle. 29
SENATE BILL 297 3
(2) (i) The Commission shall issue a Class B–1 or Class B–2 sports 1
wagering facility license to an applicant that meets the requirements for licensure under 2
this subtitle who is: 3
1. the holder of a license issued by the State Racing 4
Commission under § 11–524 of the Business Regulation Article, including a subsidiary of 5
the license holder; 6
2. a person who is the owner or lessee of a facility approved 7
for satellite simulcast betting before January 1, 2021, unless the satellite simulcast facility 8
is located at a video lottery facility or a racetrack; and 9
3. a person who holds a commercial bingo license, if the 10
facility at which the person operates commercial bingo was permitted to operate at least 11
200 electronic bingo machines or electronic tip jar machines on January 1, 2021. 12
(ii) In addition to the Class B–1 and B–2 sports wagering facility 13
licenses issued in accordance with subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the Commission may 14
issue not more than 30 Class B–1 and Class B–2 sports wagering facility licenses under 15
paragraph (1) of this subsection. 16
(3) The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission established 17
under § 9–1E–15 of this subtitle may not award a Class B–1 or B–2 sports wagering facility 18
license to an applicant: 19
(i) who is eligible to apply for a Class A–1 or A–2 sports wagering 20
facility license under paragraph (1) of this subsection; 21
(ii) who holds a Class A–1 or A–2 sports wagering facility license; or 22
(iii) whose sports wagering facility will be located: 23
1. within a 15–mile radius of a Class A–1 or A–2 sports 24
wagering facility located in Allegany County, Cecil County, or Worcester County; [or] 25
2. EXCEPT AS REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (2)(I) OF 26
THIS SUBSECTION , WITHIN A 10–MILE RADIUS OF A CLASS B–1 OR B–2 SPORTS 27
WAGERING FACILITY LI CENSED TO A PERSON D ESCRIBED UNDER PARAG RAPH (2)(I) 28
OF THIS SUBSECTION A ND LOCATED IN CALVERT COUNTY, CARROLL COUNTY, 29
CHARLES COUNTY, OR FREDERICK COUNTY, OR WASHINGTON COUNTY; OR 30
[2.] 3. within a 1.5–mile radius of a Class A–1 or A–2 sports 31
wagering facility located in a county not described under item 1 of this item or any other 32
Class B–1 or B–2 sports wagering facility. 33
4 SENATE BILL 297
(4) A for–profit entity, nonprofit organization, or public–private 1
partnership operating at the racing location described under Title 11, Subtitle 7 of the 2
Business Regulation Article located on lands owned by the Department of Natural 3
Resources may apply for a Class B–1 or B–2 sports wagering facility license. 4
(5) If an applicant designates an entity to hold the license under paragraph 5
(1)(i)2 of this subsection, the designee shall be considered the applicant and subject to the 6
requirements of the application process. 7
(6) In addition to any other person, an applicant for or holder of a Class 8
A–1, A–2, B–1, or B–2 sports wagering facility license may apply for a mobile sports 9
wagering license under this subsection. 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 11
1, 2022. 12
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.