Maryland's House passed two sweepstakes casino ban bills right at the March 23 crossover deadline, sending both to the Senate with three weeks left in the session. A ban is now a real possibility before April 13.
Maryland has been one of the most closely watched states for sweepstakes casino legislation in 2026, and on March 23, the story got significantly more serious. Two bills targeting the Maryland sweepstakes casino ban cleared the full House right at the crossover deadline. That is the procedural point by which bills must pass their originating chamber to remain active.
Both are now in the Senate, with the session closing on April 13. Players who use sweepstakes casinos in Maryland need to know what just happened and what comes next.
Two Bills Made It Through the House
House Bill 1226 is the House companion to Senate Bill 652, the Maryland Illegal Online Gambling Enforcement Act. It specifically targets casino-style games that use dual-currency systems, in which players can exchange virtual currency for prizes or cash. It sailed through the House on March 23 with a dominant 134-2 vote, a margin that leaves little room for ambiguity about where the House stands.
House Bill 295 is the House companion to Senate Bill 112 and takes a slightly broader approach. Backed by Governor Wes Moore and the MLGCA, it targets the same gameplay model using wider "multiple currency systems" language rather than naming sweepstakes gaming directly. It secured a favorable committee recommendation on March 19, passed the full House 105-24 the following day, and was already sitting with the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee by March 23.
Both bills carry serious teeth. If either becomes law, operating or promoting a sweepstakes casino in Maryland would be a criminal offense, with penalties of up to three years in prison and fines reaching $100,000 per violation.
The MLGCA Has Already Been Pushing Hard
The legislative push doesn't exist in a vacuum. On March 11, Senate Bill 652, the Senate companion to HB 1226, had a hearing before the Budget and Taxation Committee. The MLGCA made a compelling case.
Jennifer Beskid, the agency's director of legislation and policy, told the committee it had already issued 89 cease-and-desist letters to unregulated operators, including sweepstakes casino giant VGW. Only about a quarter of those letters resulted in operators actually shutting down in the state. That low success rate was the MLGCA’s central argument for why stronger enforcement tools are needed.
Licensed casino operators turned up in force to support the legislation. Mark Stewart of the Cordish Companies said the bill would put Maryland in line with other states like New Jersey, New York, and Nevada.
What This Means for Sweepstakes Players in Maryland
Sweepstakes casinos are still available in Maryland today. No ban has passed yet. But things changed significantly on March 23, and players should know what happens next.
The legislative session ends on April 13. That gives the Senate about three weeks to act. HB 1226 still needs to go through several Senate steps before it can pass. HB 295 is already with a Senate committee, so it is further along. Three weeks is not a lot of time, but it is worth noting that Maryland's Senate voted 47-0 in favor of a sweepstakes ban back in 2025. It only failed because the House blocked it. This year, the House passed both bills with big margins. If the Senate supported a ban last year, it will very likely do so again.
The market is already reacting. Platforms like McLuck, Jackpota, Spree, and Mega Bonanza have already left Maryland or turned off Sweeps Coin play, even before any law was passed. If a ban is signed, other platforms would likely follow fast. The next three weeks matter.
What Happens Next
The sweepstakes casino ban 2026 push in Maryland now has institutional backing from the MLGCA, the Governor’s office, and licensed casino operators. Both bills cleared the harder chamber with room to spare, and the Senate has SB 652 already in committee. As Maryland iGaming legislation moves forward, the question isn’t whether the will is there. It’s whether three weeks is enough time.
