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Legal online poker is once again on the table in Maryland. A new bill in the Maryland Senate would allow regulators to license online cardrooms.
The Internet Poker Authorization and Regulation Act of 2026 (SB884) would also permit operators to share prize pools across state lines under the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).
Maryland has come close to passing online poker legislation in the past. In 2024, the House passed HB 1319 with a 92-43 vote. The bill would have legalized online poker and multi-state play. However, it derailed in the Senate, where it faced stiff opposition from local brick-and-mortar casinos and unions. There were more attempts in 2025, but those bills failed to pass through their respective committees.
Before it can be presented to voters in a November 2026 referendum, the new bill must first be approved by both the Senate and the House.
Maryland is also examining a number of other gambling-related bills. These include measures to ban sweepstakes casinos and legalize a more general iGaming framework which would include casinos.
The two-pronged strategy of simultaneously pushing online poker on its own and as part of an iGaming package has also been tried in other states, like New York. Generally, iGaming omnibus packages take priority due to online casino’s massively more impactful revenue potential.
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Bill Designates Poker as Skill-Based Game, Includes $1M Fee for Operators
At its core, SB884 would permit the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to issue licenses to online poker companies.
One key point is that the new bill would designate poker as a “skill-based” game, distinguishing it from casino gambling.
A crucial provision of the bill is the authorization for Maryland to enter into multi-state agreements, allowing for shared player pools across state lines. Presumably, this refers to MSIGA, which now includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware, Nevada, and West Virginia.
The bill includes an initial $1 million fee for an online poker operator (but $500,000 for a minority-owned business). The license would be good for a five-year term. Customers must be 21+ years old. Prospective operators would get to keep 70% of their revenue.
The skill game designation is interesting. It’s unclear what other games this might include, although chess and backgammon are mentioned. Here’s the exact language taken from the bill:
‘SKILL–BASED GAME’ MEANS A GAME WHERE THE PLAYER’S STRATEGY, ABILITIES, AND DECISIONS SUBSTANTIALLY INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME.
(2) ‘SKILL–BASED GAME’ INCLUDES:
(I) POKER; AND
(II) ANY GAME, SUCH AS BACKGAMMON OR CHESS, THAT THE COMMISSION DETERMINES IS A SKILL–BASED GAME.
Online Poker Act Introduced with Other Online Gambling Bills
It’s been a busy week for the Maryland legislature in regards to gambling. Several other bills were introduced in the Maryland chambers in recent days.
One, SB761, would broadly legalize online gambling in the state, although eligibility would primarily be limited to existing video lottery and sports wagering licensees.
The bill also includes several labor protection features. This is likely a reaction to the staunch labor union opposition to online gambling in 2024, when a major bill failed to pass. The new bill would require regulators to publish annual reports on whether online play harms local brick-and-mortar casinos. It would also create an employee‑displacement fund if online casinos affect physical casinos and lead to workforce reductions.
Another bill, SB652, goes on the offensive to ban gray-market sweepstakes casinos. Sweepstakes casinos bypass gambling laws by operating as social or entertainment apps. They run on dual-currency models where users buy one token (usually Gold Coins) that has no cash value but also provides another token (Sweeps Coins, etc.) that can be redeemed for cash prizes.
SB652 would specifically target any site that operates under a dual-currency model and offers casino-style games such as slots, poker, and blackjack.
In the House, Del. Caylin Young has introduced a pair of bills. HB1255 provides the means to present voters with a referendum on online gaming in the state. HB1343 contains the framework for said online gambling expansion.
By splitting the legislation into a referendum and a debate over the specifics, Young’s bills allow some flexibility in terms of timing and how exactly legal online gambling would work in Maryland.
While the various bills differ, it’s easy to understand what Maryland legislators are trying to accomplish. Ban all illegal or gray-market sites and present customers with a viable, regulated alternative.
They may be on to something with that approach. Maryland launched online sports betting in 2022, and the market has grown every year since. It generated $89 million in tax revenue for the state in 2025 alone.
