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Maryland committee hears fierce debate over proposed internet‑gaming referendum
Summary
Supporters told the Ways and Means Committee that a voter referendum on online casino and sports wagering could recapture out‑of‑state money and fund education; opponents warned of job losses at brick‑and‑mortar casinos, sharp increases in problem gambling and harms to local tourism and jobs.
The House Ways and Means Committee heard hours of testimony on March 5 as Delegate Terri Young presented a proposed referendum and follow‑up framework to authorize internet gaming in Maryland. Young framed the bill as a two‑step process: voter approval of a constitutional amendment followed by implementing legislation that would direct most net revenues to education and the Blueprint for Maryland's Future should voters approve the change.
Proponents said regulated i‑gaming could convert online wagering that now escapes state oversight into tax revenue. "The choice is not between gaming and not gaming," Delegate Young told…
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