Baltimore officials have filed lawsuits against prediction market operators Kalshi and Polymarket, accusing the companies of offering sports betting products without the licenses required under Maryland law and misleading consumers about how their platforms are regulated. The legal actions were submitted Thursday in Baltimore City Circuit Court by Mayor Brandon Scott and the Baltimore City Council. According to the complaints, both companies violated Baltimore’s Consumer Protection Ordinance by making sports-related contracts available to city residents while operating outside Maryland’s regulated […]

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French fashion house Louis Vuitton has initiated legal action against Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover, Maryland, alleging that the casino copied its iconic designs for promotional campaigns. The lawsuit, filed on June 1 in Anne Arundel County’s federal court, claims that the casino used Louis Vuitton’s flower logo on items such as handbags, backpacks, and toiletry bags distributed to casino rewards members without authorization. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar. Alleged Trademark Infringement Louis Vuitton contends […]

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Churchill Downs Incorporated has reached an agreement to acquire the intellectual property rights to the Preakness Stakes and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes in a deal valued at $85 million, marking a significant shift in the structure of American horse racing. The purchase positions the Louisville-based company as the rights holder for the first two legs of the Triple Crown, adding the Preakness to its existing ownership of the Kentucky Derby. The transaction, announced April 21, involves acquiring trademarks and associated […]

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Maryland lawmakers ended the 2026 legislative session without approving a ban on sweepstakes casino platforms, leaving the sector active in the state despite strong support for restrictions earlier in the year. Two separate House measures designed to prohibit dual-currency sweepstakes gaming advanced through the House of Delegates but failed to move through the Senate before the session concluded on April 13. The outcome marked another year in which proposed action against the sector stalled, though the blockage came in the opposite […]

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The Baltimore Orioles have entered into a new agreement with PureWager Group, naming the company as the franchise’s exclusive sports betting partner. The deal represents PureWager’s first formal step into the United States market and introduces a new in-stadium experience tied to the partnership. New Ballpark Space Anchors Partnership As part of the arrangement, PureWager becomes the title sponsor of a newly developed hospitality area at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The venue, known as the PureWager Pavilion, sits beneath the […]

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Maryland lawmakers are once again evaluating whether online casino gaming should become legal in the state, with a proposal that supporters say could generate significant tax revenue while opponents warn about potential harm to existing casino operations and local jobs. Sen. Ron Watson has introduced Senate Bill 885, a measure designed to authorize online casino and online bingo gaming under the oversight of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission. The proposal arrives as the state confronts mounting fiscal challenges and lawmakers […]

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ACE Casino has resumed operations in four U.S. states—Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Maryland—marking a major strategic reversal for the sweepstakes casino operator. The re-entry comes months after the platform had withdrawn from those markets, signaling a renewed push by the industry to secure alternative revenue sources ahead of California’s upcoming ban on sweepstakes-style gaming. Expansion Amid California’s Looming Ban California’s Assembly Bill 831, set to take effect on January 1, 2026, will prohibit sweepstakes casinos statewide, eliminating nearly 20% of the U.S. […]

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In a surprising reversal, the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) has withdrawn its previous decision to award Intralot, Inc., the contract for the state’s Central Lottery Monitoring and Control System, following a deeper review of the company’s bid. The contract, initially valued at approximately $260 million over a 10-year term, was rescinded due to concerns over Intralot’s adherence to subcontracting requirements stipulated in the Request for Proposals (RFP). The announcement came just weeks after Intralot, a subsidiary […]

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A federal court in Maryland has rejected Kalshi’s request for a preliminary injunction, marking the company’s first major legal defeat in its broader strategy to operate prediction markets nationwide under federal oversight. U.S. District Court Judge Adam B. Abelson issued the ruling on Friday, August 1, declining to halt Maryland’s enforcement of state gambling laws against Kalshi. The company, which operates a designated contract market (DCM) for event-based contracts such as sports and politics, had claimed that the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) preempts Maryland’s regulatory authority. […]

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Online sportsbook operators in Maryland are now facing a steeper tax bill after Governor Wes Moore officially enacted a law increasing the tax rate for mobile sports betting platforms. The change, which raises the rate from 15% to 20%, was included in House Bill 352, also known as the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2025. Signed into law on May 21, the measure positions Maryland alongside states like Illinois and Ohio, both of which have implemented similar tax rates […]

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