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As the application process got underway this week for business owners to enter the mobile sports betting industry in Maryland, state regulators are accepting public comments on proposed regulations to guide licensure.
The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission held a 30-minute public hearing Friday but heard from mainly one person: Arthur Robinson, the CEO of Full Circle Solutions in Baltimore.
Robinson鈥檚 testimony focused on persuading the commission to allow a $500,000 application fee for mobile licenses to be refundable. The regulations currently state that and other fees are nonrefundable when an organization applies, provisions the聽聽approved last year.
鈥淔ees should be refunded if a license is not granted. This seems unfair,鈥� Robinson said.
Robinson also said a section in proposed regulations about efforts to solicit and interview minority and women-owned investors should be required.
鈥淭he language 鈥榠f applicable in efforts鈥� doesn鈥檛 seem to make it a requirement,鈥� he said.
The commission approved a diversity requirement聽聽for companies awarded a mobile license, which must then submit a plan that includes strategies to achieve diversity. That process, however, is retroactive and can be done within 30 days after licensure approval.
In the meantime, applicants have until Oct. 21 to apply for one of the 60 mobile sports licenses and up to 30 Class B licenses, which are smaller operations than larger casino-based sportsbooks. The commission began accepting applications Tuesday.
Those approved will go through another round of background checks that could take up to 45 days.
Because of this timeline, it鈥檚 possible mobile sports betting could happen near the end of this year鈥檚 NFL regular season in December, but that depends on approval from SWARC and the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission, which oversees the sports waging industry.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has pressed for mobile wagering to launch before the NFL regular season that began Thursday.
鈥淎fter having to overcome numerous bureaucratic hurdles from the legislature鈥檚 commission, we鈥檙e finally seeing some progress on mobile betting,鈥� he posted on his聽聽Tuesday. 鈥淚 am going to keep holding everyone鈥檚 feet to the fire until this is up and running. Marylanders have waited long enough.鈥�
Meanwhile, the public comment period on the聽聽can still be submitted in writing by Sept. 26.
