Maryland Sports Betting Generates $9.1 Million for the State in September

United States.- 15 October 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Maryland’s regulated sports betting market generated $9.1 million in state contributions during September 2026, according to figures released by Maryland Lottery and Gaming.

During the month, customers placed $652.2 million in wagers, while operators paid out approximately $593.7 million in winnings.

The results brought total contributions for the first three months of Fiscal Year 2027 to $24.6 million, with funds primarily supporting public education and other state programmes.

Sports Betting Handle Reaches $652.2 Million

September’s results demonstrate substantial activity across Maryland’s regulated sports betting market.

The principal indicators were:

• Total betting handle: $652,200,900.
• Prizes paid: $593,746,515.
• Gross operator hold: $58,454,385.
• Hold percentage: 9%.
• Taxable revenue: $45,921,614.
• Total state contributions: $9,096,266.

The hold percentage represents the proportion of wagers retained by operators after paying winnings, before certain deductions and taxes.

Mobile Betting Dominates the Market

Digital platforms accounted for the overwhelming majority of sports betting activity during September.

Official figures show:

Mobile Sports Betting

• Handle: $641.2 million.
• Prizes paid: $584.5 million.
• Gross hold: $56.6 million.
• Hold percentage: 8.8%.

Retail Sports Betting

• Handle: $11 million.
• Prizes paid: $9.2 million.
• Gross hold: $1.8 million.
• Hold percentage: 16.3%.

Mobile betting represented approximately 98.3% of the total handle, confirming its dominance within Maryland’s regulated market.

$6.9 Million Allocated to Education

A significant proportion of Maryland’s sports betting tax revenue is allocated to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund.

The fund supports public education programmes throughout the state.

During September, it received $6,888,242 from combined retail and mobile sports wagering contributions.

Maryland’s taxation framework establishes that:

• Retail operators contribute 15% of taxable revenue to the education fund.
• Mobile operators contribute 15% to the same fund.
• Mobile operators also pay an additional 5% into the state’s General Fund.

This structure distributes regulated sports betting revenue between education and wider public spending priorities.

General Fund Receives $2.2 Million

In addition to education funding, mobile sports betting generated $2,208,024 for Maryland’s General Fund during September.

This contribution represents 5% of mobile operators’ taxable revenue.

Overall, digital operators contributed approximately $8.8 million, compared with $264,171 from retail sportsbooks.

The difference reflects the dominance of online betting in both commercial activity and tax contributions.

State Contributions Decline 32.5% Year-on-Year

Although betting volumes remained broadly stable, state contributions declined compared with September 2025.

The year-on-year comparison shows:

Contributions declined by approximately 32.5%, primarily reflecting the reduction in operators’ hold percentage.

The results demonstrate that similar betting volumes do not necessarily generate equivalent tax revenue, as sporting outcomes and customer winnings can significantly influence operator profitability.

Fiscal Year 2027 Contributions Reach $24.6 Million

During the first three months of Fiscal Year 2027, covering July through September 2026, Maryland recorded:

• $1.61 billion in sports wagers.
• $1.46 billion in prizes paid.
• $24.6 million in state contributions.

Compared with the corresponding period of the previous financial year, betting handle increased by approximately 11.4%.

However, state contributions declined from the $29.8 million generated during the opening three months of Fiscal Year 2026.

The figures highlight the difference between market growth and the amount of tax revenue actually collected.

More Than $334 Million Since Market Launch

Maryland introduced regulated sports betting in December 2021, when its first retail sportsbooks opened.

Mobile sports betting followed in November 2022.

From the beginning of the programme through September 2026, cumulative contributions included:

• $295.6 million allocated to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund.
• $38.6 million directed to the General Fund.
• $5.8 million in unclaimed prizes transferred to the state’s Problem Gambling Fund.

These figures demonstrate the sector’s contribution to several public programmes.

Casino Revenue Also Declines

The sports betting figures were published amid weaker results for Maryland’s land-based casinos.

During September, the state’s casinos generated approximately $151.4 million in revenue, recording another monthly decline.

Although casino gaming and sports betting operate under different taxation systems, both sectors are supervised by Maryland Lottery and Gaming.

The regulator publishes regular financial reports to monitor commercial performance and contributions to state programmes.

Next Steps and Impact

September’s results demonstrate that Maryland continues to generate substantial sports betting activity, despite lower operator margins and reduced state tax contributions.

The $652.2 million wagered during the month produced $9.1 million for the state, with most of the funds directed towards public education.

The 32.5% year-on-year decline in contributions contrasts with the stability of betting volumes and illustrates the influence of sporting results on financial performance.

Over the coming months, attention will focus on hold percentages and the market’s ability to maintain tax contributions throughout Fiscal Year 2027.

Mobile betting will remain the principal driver of activity, accounting for more than 98% of sports wagers placed in Maryland.

Editó: @fonta