Sports Betting Sites / Play / Maryland Sweepstakes Casino Ban Bills Expire in Committee

Maryland Sweepstakes Casino Ban Bills Expire in Committee

Legal Writer

Publish Date: Apr 22, 2026

Fact checked by: Matt Moreno

Key Points

Maryland bills to restrict sweepstakes casinos failed to progress in the state Senate.
State officials called for new legislation following unsuccessful cease-and-desist demands.
Support for the measures in the Maryland House of Delegates could prompt 2027 refilings.

The Maryland Senate Budget and Taxation Committee did not advance a pair of proposals that could have restricted the operation of sweepstakes casinos in the state before the legislative deadline for the year. Earlier in 2026, the Maryland House of Delegates approved both pieces of legislation.

The proposals, one of which the state’s gambling regulators advocated for, would have explicitly made the dual-currency sweepstakes-based gaming websites illegal in Maryland. Due to strong support among Delegates and regulators’ demands, similar bills could be on tap for 2027.

HB 295 and HB 1226 make no progress in Maryland Senate

After passing by strong margins in the House of Delegates, HB 295 and HB 1226 made zero headways in the upper chamber of the Maryland Assembly. The 2026 legislative session in Maryland has ended, meaning the bills are dead for now.

The Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission requested HB 295 through Gov. Wes Moore, while HB 1226 had a trio of Delegate sponsors. HB 295 would have empowered the Commission to deny gaming license applications and potentially revoke licenses of entities and persons found to be working with companies that operate sweepstakes casinos.

The bill also would have banned online casino-style games that use a dual-currency format with a sweepstakes model to determine prize distribution. HB 1226 would have augmented that ban by giving the Maryland attorney general new powers to prosecute the operation or promotion of sweepstakes casinos.

With the failure of these bills, law enforcement members and regulators in Maryland will have to rely upon existing statutes if they want to restrict sweepstakes games for people within the commonwealth’s borders for now. Earlier efforts to do so have produced mixed results.

Maryland’s struggles to reign in online sweepstakes

Maryland gaming regulators took the route of ordering sweepstakes casinos to stop selling coin packages to people in the state in 2025. The mixed response to those demands is likely behind the push for new legislation in 2026.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency’s 2025 comprehensive report outlines the agency’s submission of cease-and-desist demands to multiple entities believed to be offering online gambling in violation of state law. A comprehensive running list of apps and websites that the agency has sent demands over contain several sweepstakes casino platforms.

Examples include Chumba, Fliff, FunzCity, Luckyland Slots, McLuck, and Stake. So far, only High 5, McLuck, and Stake have added Maryland to their list of excluded U.S. jurisdictions.

That lack of uniform desirable responses likely fueled the push to get new language on the books in Maryland in 2026. The progress made by the proposals during the session may lead proponents to attempt similar measures in 2027.

Sweeps legality question could come up in 2027 session

None of the sponsors of HB 295 or HB 1226 have committed to refiling the bills or submitting similar legislation in 2027 at this time. However, the strong support for the filings in the House of Delegates paves the way for such actions.

HB 295 passed 105-24, while HB 1226 was approved 135-1. Neither bill had a Senate companion, though, which speaks to a lack of similar momentum for the issue in that chamber.

One possible ally could be Sen. Ron Watson, who has in consecutive terms filed legislation to create a statewide referendum on the potential legalization of real money online casino games. Sponsors of HB 295 and HB 1226 could sell their proposals as a step toward that end.

If the proponents of more restrictions on sweepstakes in Maryland manage to enlist allies in the Senate in 2027, then 2026 will have served as a crucial step towards the enactment of new statutes. The fate of the legislation in 2026 suggests that the Senate will continue to determine the legality of such platforms in Maryland.

If you're on the search for more news and updates, then be sure to visit our Ballislife Play page.

Play

Colorado legislature approves adjustment to online sportsbooks deposit rules

Colorado’s legislature could soon institute significant changes to the experiences for people using licensed sportsbooks within the state’s borders. One bill affecting several changes has cleared both chambers of the state legislature. The proposal focuses on advertising rules and deposit limits. However, the measure could have imposed far more drastic ...

by Derek Helling

May 11, 2026