A friendly wager on a game may nice, but sports betting in Maryland and Kansas may be changing in a bad way. Sure, since the Supreme Court decision of 2018 things have gone pretty well for those who like to make games “more interesting”, but not everyone is onboard. And now, some lawmakers are reconsidering their choices.
Online sports betting in Maryland is facing a potential shutdown under a new bill introduced by Senator Joanne Benson. Filed on February 20, SB 1033 seeks to end mobile sports wagering in the state by January 1, 2026 — making it the second legislative attempt in the U.S. this year to dismantle an existing legal sports betting market.
The bill includes a provision for refunding certain application fees to operators, though it does not clarify which would qualify. Retail sportsbooks, however, would remain unaffected. These have been operating since December 2021, with mobile betting following in November 2022. Through January 2025, Maryland bettors have wagered a total of $12.2 billion across both formats.
Meanwhile, much like the attacks on sports betting we’re seeing in Maryland, Kansas lawmakers have thrown the future of legal sports betting into question. In a move tied to a recently passed budget bill, legislators voted to block the renewal of sportsbook licenses — a decision that could eventually force the state’s six active operators offline.
Although sports betting remains legal in Kansas, the restriction prevents state regulators from extending current licenses. BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, and ESPN BET are licensed through August 31, 2027, after which they may be required to cease operations. Some lawmakers are reportedly considering a major overhaul, potentially shifting to a more limited licensing framework — including the possibility of a single-operator model.
