EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0621*
SENATE BILL 621
C7 3lr1930
By: Senators Zucker and Hettleman
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2023
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Gaming – Sports Wagering – Independent Evaluation of Sports Wagering 2
Content 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to 4
identify and accredit certain independent evaluators to evaluate and rate certain 5
sports wagering content provided by certain sports wagering experts, sports 6
wagering influencers, and content partners; requiring the Commission to establish 7
standards of practice governing sports wagering content; requiring certain sports 8
wagering licensees and sports wagering operators to contract with certain 9
independent evaluators for certain purposes under certain circumstances; and 10
generally relating to sports wagering and the evaluation of sports wagering content. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9–1E–17 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – State Government 19
9–1E–17. 20
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 21
INDICATED. 22
2 SENATE BILL 621
(2) “CONTENT PARTNER ” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO OR A 1
PLATFORM THAT CREATES SPORTS WAGER ING CONTENT FOR A SP ORTS WAGERING 2
LICENSEE THROUGH CONTRACTED W ORK, AFFILIATION, OR OTHER PARTNERSHIP . 3
(3) “SPORTS WAGERING CONTE NT” MEANS PREDICTIONS OF 4
SPORTING EVENT OUTCOMES, INCLUDING MONEYLINES , AGAINST THE SPREAD , 5
TOTALS, FUTURES, PARLAYS, AND OTHER OUTCOMES , WHETHER PROVIDED AT NO 6
COST OR THROUGH A SUBSCRI PTION OR OTHER PARTNERSHIP . 7
(4) “SPORTS WAGERING E XPERT” OR “SPORTS WAGERING 8
INFLUENCER ” MEANS A PERSON WHO C REATES SPORTS WAGERI NG CONTENT FOR A 9
SPORTS WAGERING LICE NSEE, A CONTENT PARTNER , OR THE PERSON ’S OWN 10
BENEFIT. 11
(B) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2023, THE COMMISSION SHALL 12
IDENTIFY AND ACCREDIT INDEPENDENT EVALUATO RS TO EVALUATE AND R ATE 13
SPORTS WAGERING CONTENT PROVIDED BY SPORTS WAGERING EXPE RTS, SPORTS 14
WAGERING INFLUENCERS , AND CONTENT PARTNERS . 15
(2) IN ORDER TO BE ACCRED ITED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 16
SUBSECTION, AN INDEPENDENT EVALU ATOR: 17
(I) SHALL HAVE DEMONSTRA TED EXPERIENCE AND E XPERTISE 18
IN EVALUATING AND RA TING SPORTS WAGERING CONTENT; 19
(II) SHALL HAVE AN AUDIT PROCESS CONSTRUCTED AND 20
MAINTAINED BY IN –HOUSE, LICENSED CERTIFIED P UBLIC ACCOUNTANTS ; 21
(III) SHALL HAVE EVALUATIO N AND RATING PROCEDU RES THAT 22
ARE UNABLE TO BE ADJ USTED, DUPLICATED, OR ALTERED BY THE PE RSONS 23
SUBJECT TO EVALUATIO N; 24
(IV) MAY NOT HAVE AN OFFI CIAL RELATIONSHIP WI TH A SPORTS 25
WAGERING LICENSEE OR SPORTS WAGERING OPER ATOR; 26
(V) MAY NOT HAVE ANY DIR ECT OR INDIRECT FINA NCIAL 27
INTEREST, OWNERSHIP, OR MANAGEMENT , INCLUDING HOLDING AN Y STOCKS, 28
BONDS, OR OTHER SIMILAR FIN ANCIAL INTERESTS IN AN Y SPORTS WAGERING 29
ACTIVITIES; 30
(VI) MAY NOT RECEIVE OR S HARE IN, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECT LY, 31
THE RECEIPTS OR PROC EEDS OF ANY SPORTS W AGERING ACTIVITIES ; AND 32
SENATE BILL 621 3
(VII) MAY NOT HAVE ANY REV ENUE–SHARING RELATIONSHIP 1
WITH OR OTHER FINANCIAL INTEREST IN A SPORTS WAGERING LICENSEE OR SPORTS 2
WAGERING OPERATOR . 3
(3) AN INDEPENDENT EVALUA TOR MAY BE COMPENSAT ED BY A 4
SPORTS WAGERING LICE NSEE OR SPORTS WAGER ING OPERATOR THAT UT ILIZES 5
THE INDEPENDENT EVAL UATOR’S EVALUATIONS IN ITS MARKETING MATERIALS. 6
(4) THE COMMISSION MAY ESTABL ISH ADDITIONAL QUALI FICATIONS 7
FOR THE ACCREDITATIO N OF INDEPENDENT EVA LUATORS IN ACCORDANC E WITH 8
THIS SUBSECTION . 9
(C) THE COMMISSION SHALL ESTA BLISH STANDARDS OF P RACTICE 10
GOVERNING SPORTS WAG ERING CONTENT . 11
(D) ON OR BEFORE APRIL 1, 2024, A SPORTS WAGERING LI CENSEE OR 12
SPORTS WAGERING OPER ATOR THAT ADVERTIS ES IN THE STATE SHALL CONTRACT 13
WITH AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR ACCREDITED UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS 14
SECTION TO EVALUATE AND RATE THE SPORTS WAGERING LICENSEE ’S SPORTS 15
WAGERING CONTENT , SPORTS WAGERING EXPE RTS, SPORTS WAGERING 16
INFLUENCERS , AND CONTENT PARTNERS . 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2023. 19