With just two weeks to go to the election, Maryland voters will have a lot to consider on their ballots. A huge hot button in the state is legalized sports betting. According to new reporting from WTOP News Maryland sports betting backers are expecting a win.
People in the Old Line State are expected to cast enough ‘yes’ votes to get sports betting legalized. It’s question 2 on the Maryland ballot that specifically addresses the legalization of sports betting.
According to sources that spoke with the WTOP News, the campaign to get sports betting up and running was very well orchestrated and plied with non stop cash.’ According to new voting data, the yes votes outweigh the no votes two to one, based on early voting returns.
There Are Some Basic Questions
The very popular Republican Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan has openly supported sports betting. As of Tuesday he was trying to drum up a steady stream of support for the legislation to pass. Aids to Gov. Hogan said on Tuesday, COVID-19 related financial woes are constantly on his mind.
There has been some strong opposition to legalizing sports betting in the state. As the bill traveled through the Maryland legislation in the last 16 months, some issues of where the revenue will be distributed have raised concerns with voters.
Political insiders who have diligently worked on the final wording of the sports betting bill, say that some voters will voice their opposition to the bill at the polls. Those insiders are also confident that the majority of voters will give the go-ahead for sports betting to become legal in Maryland.
Most of the state revenue raised from sports betting has been allocated to the education system.. Democratic Senator Craig Zucker is the author of the bill that will appeal on the ballot. Zucker, of Montgomery, Maryland, is hopeful that voters understand the financial issues.
The senator believes that the good people of Maryland understand that there is already legalized gambling in the state. Due to the recent COVID shutdowns and current financial uncertainty, a clear avenue for raising education dollars is necessary right now.
Sports Betting Has Led To Many Conversations
Senator Zucker said the communities in Maryland have been invited to town hall meetings all over the state. It was in those meetings that residents could bring up any issues on the upcoming ballot and sports betting was addressed at many of those presentations. Zucker said there has been a lot of positive dialogue going on.
A lobbyist from the state capital, Annapolis, pointed out the voters approved slot machines in 2008 and in 2012 Maryland voters approved all table games. Zucker pointed out that sports betting is a lot more lucrative than those two gaming extensions, and can fill in some of the voids left by COVID-19.
Zucker noted that sports betting is just another gaming extension and the same voters that approved the otter types of gaming, will approve this one as well.
