Md. Code, State Gov't § 9-1E-11

Current with changes from the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 9-1E-11 - Restrictions on eligibility to wager or accept wager
(a) An individual may not wager on a sporting event and a sports wagering licensee may not accept a wager from an individual on a sporting event if the individual:
(1) is under the age of 21 years;
(2) is not physically present in the State;
(3) is an athlete, a coach, a referee, or a director or an employee of a sports governing entity or any of its member teams;
(4) is the direct or indirect legal or beneficial owner of 10% or more of a sports governing entity or any of its member teams if any member team of that sports governing entity participates in the sporting event;
(5) has access to certain types of exclusive information on any sporting event overseen by that individual's sports governing entity;
(6) holds a position of authority or influence sufficient to exert influence over the participants in a sporting event, including coaches, managers, handlers, or athletic trainers;
(7) is identified on a mandatory or voluntary sports wagering exclusion list maintained by the Commission;
(8) is the operator, director, officer, owner, or employee of the sports wagering licensee or online sports wagering operator or any relative of the licensee or operator living in the same household as the licensee or operator;
(9) has access to nonpublic confidential information held by the sports wagering licensee or online sports wagering operator; or
(10) is a category of individuals prohibited by the Commission under subsection (e) of this section from wagering on a sporting event.
(b) For online sports wagering, a mobile sports wagering licensee shall:
(1) have in place technical and operational measures to prevent access by individuals who are underage or physically located outside the State, including:
(i) age verification procedures, which may require the use of a reputable independent third party that is in the business of verifying an individual's personally identifiable information; and
(ii) the use of geolocation technology to verify a bettor's geographic location;
(2) include on its online sports wagering website a description of the possible repercussions for an underage or out-of-state bettor, which may include immediate stoppage of play, account closure, and forfeiture and confiscation of winnings; and
(3) establish procedures to prevent prohibited individuals from wagering on sporting events.
(c) A sports wagering licensee shall:
(1) promptly report to the Commission:
(i) any criminal or disciplinary proceedings against the licensee or its employees in connection with the licensee's sports wagering operation;
(ii) any abnormal betting activity or patterns that may indicate a concern about the integrity of a sporting event;
(iii) any other conduct with the potential to corrupt the outcome of a sporting event for purposes of financial gain, including match fixing; and
(iv) any suspicious or illegal wagering activities, including the use of funds derived from illegal activity, wagers to conceal or launder funds derived from illegal activity, use of agents to place wagers, or use of false identification; and
(2) maintain records of sports wagering operations in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission.
(d) The Commission is authorized to share any information under this section with any law enforcement agency, sports team, sports governing entity, or regulatory agency the Commission deems appropriate.
(e)
(1) In this subsection, "interested party" means:
(i) a sports wagering licensee;
(ii) a professional sports team, league, association, or governing entity; or
(iii) an institution of higher education.
(2) If an interested party believes that a type or form of wagering or a category of individuals wagering on sporting events is contrary to public policy, is unfair to consumers, or affects the integrity of a particular sport or the sports wagering industry, the interested party may submit to the Commission, in writing, a request to prohibit the type or form of sports wagering or the category of individuals from wagering on sporting events.
(3) After conducting a public hearing on a request submitted under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Commission may grant the request on a showing of good cause by the interested party.
(4) The Commission shall respond to a request under this subsection concerning a particular sporting event before the start of the sporting event to the greatest extent feasible, or as soon as practicable.

Md. Code, SG § 9-1E-11

Added by 2021 Md. Laws, Ch. 356,Sec. 2, eff. 5/18/2021.