Maryland Collects Over $61M for Problem Gambling; Spending Undisclosed | The Locally Times
A sports betting fund holds $5.2M for problem gambling, while a separate casino fund has amassed $56.4M with no public record of expenditures.
A fund for Maryland problem gambling services sourced from sports wagering has accumulated $5,237,722 since betting began, according to a February 16, 2026, report from Maryland Lottery and Gaming. The total covers the period from the start of sports wagering in December 2021 through January 2026. These funds are derived from sports wagering prizes that are not redeemed by winners within 182 days. The revenue report states these expired prizes are directed into the Problem Gambling Fund. This amount is a fraction of the total state revenue generated by sports wagering over the same period. The Sports Wagering Revenue Reports show that contributions to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund totaled $244,883,524, while the state’s General Fund received $22,026,469. The state increased its take from mobile sports wagering operators in June 2025, raising the contribution rate from 15% to 20% of taxable winnings. ## Casinos Fuel Larger, Older Fund While sports wagering provides one stream of revenue for problem gambling services, Maryland’s casinos contribute to a separate, much larger fund. A Casino Revenue Report, also posted by Maryland Lottery and Gaming on February 16, 2026, shows cumulative contributions of $56,421,748 to a Problem Gambling Fund from casino operations. This casino-based funding comes from an annual assessment levied on the state’s casinos, set at $425 per slot machine and $500 per table game. However, the state’s reporting periods for the two funds do not align. The $56.4 million figure from casinos covers the period from Fiscal Year 2011 through Fiscal Year 2025, which concluded on June 30, 2025. The public documents do not provide an updated total for casino contributions through January 2026, preventing a direct comparison with the sports wagering fund over the same timeframe. The reports do not clarify if these are two distinct accounts or different revenue streams directed into a single statewide fund. ## Spending Opaque as Casino Revenue Dips While sports wagering contributions are bolstered by a higher contribution rate, revenue from the state’s casinos has declined. The Casino Revenue Report indicates that gaming revenue for January 2026 was $147,877,520, a 2.6% decrease from the $151,795,660 generated in January 2025. Since their inception in September 2010, Maryland casinos have generated over $20.9 billion in total revenue through January 2026. Despite detailing the tens of millions of dollars collected for problem gambling initiatives from both sports wagering and casinos, the state’s revenue reports do not provide information on how these funds are spent. The documents list the amounts contributed to the funds but do not include records of expenditures, allocations to specific programs, or the organizations that may receive the money to provide services. Without this data, the full impact and use of the state’s problem gambling funds remain undocumented in its public financial disclosures.