Is there a plan to scare Marylanders about sports gambling? If so, its working. | COMMENTARY – Yahoo Tech

When last we paid close attention to sports betting, the Maryland General Assembly had overwhelmingly approved legislation seven months ago to legalize the practice in the wake of the 2020 voter referendum on the subject, and it seemed almost uncontroversial. Not only were Democrats and Republicans in the legislature, along with Gov. Larry Hogan, united in their support of the move, but Maryland was joining at least 18 other states that either already had done, or were in the process of doing, the same thing: taking wagering on sporting events out of the shadows, as already happened with casino games and the lottery. But as readers of this newspaper have noticed in recent days, this gambling business comes with some strings attached, including the prospect of and we advise readers to take a deep breathe at this point $5 million bets on the outcome of a single game.

Thats right. As reported by The Suns Jeff Barker, the states Lottery and Gaming Control Agency is pondering the rules for legal sports wagering and one of the calls that needs to be made is how big a bet should be allowed. The proposed regulations cap bets at $5 million. But heres the thing: While that might seem extreme to average folks, some of the major players in the industry like FanDuel and DraftKings say its too restrictive. Theyd like no cap. And why? They offer the example of a thoughtful, informed gambler who might, for example, own a chain of stores holding a promotional giveaway if a local sports team wins a championship. Thus, such a bet would help cover the potential cost. That might sound preposterous, but then theres 70-year-old Houston furniture store owner named James Franklin Mattress Mack McIngvale with a habit of placing seven-figure bets on his beloved Astros.

What the companies dont detail in their formal public comments is whether there might be gambling addicts who cannot afford a $100,000 wager let alone a $5 million one, who might be tempted to place such a potentially ruinous bet. Were guessing there might be. And one thing about legalized sports gambling, its going to not only take matters out of the shadows, its going to place them front and center. Not only through the states half-dozen casinos, race tracks and stadiums but perhaps at the touch of your cellphone through various apps. Instead of tracking down a bookie who might limit bets for fear of messy collections (perhaps involving broken limbs), state-sanctioned companies will be texting you with all kinds of offers. Oh and theyll be accepting credit cards, PayPal or Venmo and taking steps to simply foreclose on your home should you lose. They have worse than hired thugs, they have lawyers.

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Now, if that doesnt sound disconcerting enough, there was also news that the state also needs to address risky bets. And whats meant by that? Well, Major League Baseball worries that purveyors might, for example, allow wagering on the first pitch of a game whether its a ball or strike. That may not seem so bad on the surface but baseball executives have a point. Throwing a ball or strike on a first pitch has little meaning for the outcome of a game or even the performance of the pitcher. Might the pitcher throw one or the other to benefit gamblers with their own pitch, if not directly to him, to his friends or family? Its called a fix and its not exactly a new concept but it is a potentially ruinous one for the integrity of sports.

Maryland has a few weeks yet to offer a final version of its sports gambling rules, but based on public comments like these, wed offer this bit of advice: be very, very cautious. If the Old Line State ends up with a reputation for being conservative on sports wagering compared to other states where the rules might be more lax, were good with it. Gambling addiction is real and so, alas, is the possibility of gamblers seeking to fix events, whether the final score or something as trivial as the first pitch. Surely, theres no rush for the late autumn startup. As recently reported, the state treasury is flush with cash right now thanks in large part to federal aid and sports gaming isnt a huge benefit to taxpayers anyway as its only expected to raise just $17 million per year, primarily for schools. We see little reason to loosen the rules to accommodate the industry or some nutty purveyor of furniture.

Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.

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Is there a plan to scare Marylanders about sports gambling? If so, its working. | COMMENTARY - Yahoo Tech