The 2025 Maryland legislative session has ended, leaving a proposed ban on online sweepstakes casinos dead in the water after early momentum.
Sen. Paul Corderman’s SB 860 would have prohibited online or mobile games, contests or promotions that use a dual-currency system of payment and offer the chance to win cash or other prizes via casino-style gaming, lottery games or sports betting.
It would have criminalized not only the operators of sweeps-style games but also their suppliers, payment processors, geolocation partners and other affiliated parties.
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency would have been given the right to deny or revoke companies’ state gaming licenses if those operators were found in violation of the law.
The bill was approved unanimously by the full Senate last month and sent to the House. There, it had a hearing in the Ways and Means Committee but never made it to a vote.
The session ending also means that a separate push in the Maryland legislature this year to introduce legal online casino gaming is also officially dead. Those hopes had been on life support when no iGaming bill moved from one legislative chamber to another before the crossover deadline last month.
After early momentum, sweeps bans fizzle out
With the session over, it means that if the Maryland regulator wants to try to force out sweepstakes or unlicensed online casinos, they will have to rely on their own enforcement action such as sending cease-and-desist letters.
The Lottery has not been shy in doing that so far this year, targeting numerous sites. The agency has also recently sent C&Ds to three high-profile prediction market operators who offer sports event contracts.
Maryland isn’t the only state to see an effort to criminalize online sweepstakes burn out this year.
In Mississippi, a proposed ban was approved in both the Senate and the House before it died in conference on the final day of March after being returned to its original chamber. Sen. Joey Fillingane’ss SB 2510 was complicated by the addition of legal sports betting language in the House.
Meanwhile, in Arkansas, a bill that would have legalized online casino and authorized dual-currency online gaming only for licensed operators was pulled from a committee agenda on Monday.
SPGA celebrates end of ‘flawed’ bills
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA), which has opposed legislation to limit sweeps in numerous states, said it is “celebrating a growing streak of legislative wins on behalf of American consumers.”
“These bills shared the same fatal flaw: no facts and no foundation,” said an SPGA spokesperson. “Legislators are consistently rejecting efforts to criminalize safe, digital entertainment enjoyed by millions of adults across the U.S.”
The association reiterated its stance that banning sweepstakes risks outlawing travel rewards and loyalty programs and threatens “an entire ecosystem of legitimate businesses.”
A number of sweeps-related bills remain in play in other states, including Connecticut, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey and New York.
