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Maryland sports bettors wagered $465.9 million in August 2026, a 7.3% increase from $434.2 million in the same month last year, according to Maryland Lottery and Gaming.
Mobile sportsbooks continued to dominate the market, accounting for $458.7 million of the month’s handle. Retail sportsbooks generated $7.1 million. August’s total was lower than July’s $496.4 million, but fiscal-year sports wagering handle was still up 20.5% year over year.
Mobile betting continued to drive the market
The latest report shows just how concentrated Maryland’s legal market remains around online betting apps rather than casino sportsbooks. Maryland launched sports betting in 2022, and its mobile market now includes major operators such as BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings.
The state was also described as approaching $1 billion in total sports betting handle across retail sportsbooks and mobile betting apps.
For readers tracking regulated U.S. markets, the split in August was clear: nearly all betting activity came through mobile platforms, while in-person sportsbooks remained a small part of the overall market.
Sports betting delivered $7 million to the state
Maryland recouped $7 million from sports betting operations in August. More than $5.2 million of that amount went to public education programs, and more than $288 million has now been directed to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund.
Under Maryland law, operators contribute 15% of taxable proceeds to that fund.
Separate from the revenue figures, the report noted broader state scrutiny of gambling activity outside the regulated sportsbook market. Maryland lawmakers backed the Illegal Online Gambling Enforcement Act aimed at sweepstakes casinos and unlicensed operators. Maryland election administrator Jared DeMarinis has also asked the state prosecutor to investigate online prediction market exchanges and their practices.
Casino revenue moved the other way
While sports betting handle increased year over year, Maryland’s six brick-and-mortar casinos generated $160 million combined in August, a nearly 6% decline from a year earlier. MGM National Harbor posted a 5.1% drop in gambling revenue, while Live! Casino & Hotel was down by more than 10%.
The latest figures offer a snapshot of a regulated market where mobile sports betting remains strong, even as traditional casino revenue faces pressure.
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Source: As reported by thelines.com.
