The number of online sports betting sites in the Old Line State has increased by one.
Betfred officially launched in Maryland on Thursday, according to state regulators. The United Kingdom-based bookmaker was found qualified for a mobile sports betting license in November.
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC) then issued a mobile sports betting license to the operator this week, allowing it to begin taking wagers from the general public after a successful test run.
“On Feb. 7, Betfred successfully completed a controlled demonstration of its mobile sports wagering platform, during which customers participated in live wagering as Maryland Lottery and Gaming staff ensured that Betfred complied with all required procedures, and that its systems functioned properly,” the regulator said in a press release.
The Old Line octagon
Betfred is the eighth mobile bookmaker to launch in Maryland, where legal sports betting began in November 2021 at casinos but expanded to statewide online wagering in November 2022. Betfred is partnered with the Frederick-based off-track betting facility Long Shot’s in Maryland for retail and online sports betting.
More mobile sportsbooks are expected to join the state’s wagering market in the future. By law, sports betting in Maryland can include up to 60 licensed online wagering entities, and other operators are on track to receive permits, such as SuperBook.
The other seven online sportsbooks currently taking bets in Maryland are:
