For the past two years, Maryland has been at the forefront of the iGaming expansion debate and a new poll suggests legalisation remains challenging for proponents heading into 2026.
The survey from Lake Research Partners reported that 71% of Marylanders oppose online casino expansion. The poll, which was commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG), comes as lawmakers have discussed expanding the gambling market online the past two legislative sessions.
The findings come following two years of Maryland legislative attempts to legalise iGaming, including a House bill that in 2024 reached the Senate, where it was met with strong opposition.
NAAiG is led by The Cordish Companies, one of the most vocal opponents during Maryland legislative hearings on the issue. NAAiG, which launched this year to oppose US expansion of online casino, also includes Churchill Downs Inc, Jack Entertainment, Gaming & Leisure Properties and several unions and municipalities.
“These results show that once Marylanders understand what iGambling really is, they strongly reject it,” Jason Gumer, NAAiG board member and Monarch Casino & Resort executive vice president & general counsel, said in a release. “Policymakers should take note: voters are deeply concerned about the risks to children, families and communities.”
The survey reached 650 registered Maryland voters from 15-18 September via phone interviews and text-to-online methods. The reported margin of error of the survey was 3.8%, with data weighted slightly by gender, age, race, region, education levels and partisanship.
In the initial favourability question, 17% of Marylanders said they viewed online casino favourable or very favourable, while 64% had no opinion on the issue, including 49% who said they had never heard of it. The 71% opposition finding came after the survey provided respondents a description of what online casino meant, including 24-hour gambling access on mobile devices.
Maryland lawmakers push for gambling expansion
Maryland Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary and Senator Ron Watson have introduced Maryland iGaming legislation for the past two sessions in Annapolis. Atterbeary guided her bill in 2024 through the Assembly and to the Senate, where it died.
“At this point, we’re not being left behind,” she said during a hearing earlier this year. “We are behind, quite frankly.”
The bills have received hours of testimony during the past two years. The hearings included strong opposition from The Cordish Companies and local casino labour unions. The opposition largely revolves around estimates of casino revenue cannibalisation. In 2024, The Innovation Group prepared a report for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission projecting that expansion would result in a 10% decline in brick-and-mortar casino revenue.
Watson said during hearings he would work with unions to guarantee jobs would not be lost.
“Folks are making money. Any casino that implements iGaming and gets rid of employees is doing it out of greed, not because they don’t have the money to do it,” Watson said during a hearing this year.
While lawmakers discussed online casinos, they also debated banning sweepstakes casinos in the state. Ultimately, Senate Bill 860 to do so died in the House. Still, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency did crack down on the sites by sending multiple cease-and-desist letters this year, including one to Virtual Gaming Worlds.
Lessons learned from Maryland iGaming
At the 2024 National Council of Legislators from Gaming States summer meeting, Watson discussed that year’s effort. He said he thought proponents “had our ducks in a row”, but ultimately could have done things differently.
Even had online casino legislation advanced last year, it does require a public vote, which would be in November 2026. Watson said that legalising Maryland iGaming will require public education on the topic. The new opposition poll seemingly confirms that belief.
“We need to treat it like a campaign,” Watson said. “The person who introduces the legislation is just the quarterback. In this case, you need a whole team behind you.”
The survey released by a group opposing online casinos reports that 71% of Maryland voters do so as well, perhaps signalling lawmakers pushing iGaming legislation still face tough odds.