bet365 Gains Maryland Sports Betting Licence Approval

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency approved bet365’s online sports wagering licence during their August 28 regulatory hearing. That makes Maryland the 15th US state where the operator will be doing business.

Expansion in the US

bet365’s been busy this month – they launched in Kansas on August 6, so Maryland’s their second new state in August alone. They were already teasing the launch too, releasing promotional material before the MLGCA’s official approval later that day.

Why Maryland’s Attractive Despite Tax Hikes

Maryland’s sports betting market is pretty solid. The state recorded nearly $364.1 million in combined handle during July 2025. Current operators include FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, so bet365’s jumping into established competition.

But there’s a catch – Maryland just raised its sports betting tax rate. Governor Wes Moore signed a new budget that bumped the tax on operator revenue from 15% to 20%. Actually, Moore originally wanted to double it to 30%, but fellow lawmakers scaled that back. Still, it’s a higher tax burden than bet365 faces in some other states.

What bet365 Brings to Maryland

The operator’s been expanding their content partnerships lately. In August 2025, Inspired Entertainment teamed up with bet365 to launch Virtual Sports offerings. That includes V-Play NHL, NBA Re-Play and Re-Play eSports. The NHL and NBA products are officially licensed with their respective leagues. Re-Play eSports offers virtual gameplay and betting opportunities for competitive video games.

bet365’s also working with Greentube, which started offering its slots in Ontario via the operator back on July 11.

How This Changes Maryland’s Landscape

With bet365 now in the mix, Maryland players get another major operator option. That usually means more competitive bonuses and better odds as books fight for market share.

The timing’s interesting given that tax increase. bet365’s entering a market where the state just made it more expensive to operate. But that $364.1 million July handle shows there’s real money flowing through Maryland sports betting. Even with higher taxes, there’s apparently enough action to make it worthwhile.

For the state, adding bet365 means more tax revenue despite the operators paying a bigger percentage. More competition typically drives higher overall handle too. The real question is whether bet365 can grab meaningful market share from FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM. Those three have been building customer bases while bet365 was still getting approved. Still, bet365’s got name recognition and deep pockets for marketing, so they should be competitive right out of the gate.