This Pollfish poll targeted 1,000 registered Maryland voters, covering a wide range of ages and varying ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Those surveyed were asked if they would vote in favor of Maryland’s online casino legalization if it was on the ballot in 2024. Overall, 75.84% of respondents stated that they would vote yes.
Will Maryland Online Casinos Make It Onto the 2024 Ballot?
In order for the question of Maryland online casinos to land on the 2024 ballot, Senate Bill 267 needs to advance out of the Budget and Taxation Committee and be approved by both chambers of the Maryland legislature. From there, a simple majority among MD voters would allow for legal online casino gaming to launch as early as June 2025.
Brick-and-mortar casino revenue goes to the Education Trust Fund, as well as to small minority-owned businesses in Maryland and the jurisdictions where the casinos operate. Revenue from online casinos will likely support those same efforts.
Sen. Ron Watson (D – Prince George’s) is one of the sponsors of SB267 and indicated additional money would be disbursed to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, an education reform initiative that aims to address achievement gaps and improve opportunities for prekindergarten through post-secondary students.
“We are missing one vital component with respect to gaming and that’s the fourth leg of the casino tool, which is (internet) gaming,” Watson said. “The fundamental aspect of this bill, it creates a new funding stream for education, and I have deep concerns that we need to do what we can to support our Blueprint.”
Six states have already launched online casino gaming: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Nevada has online poker but does not allow for other casino games (such as online slots or table games); Rhode Island has passed an online casino bill, but it will be at least March 2024 before the state is ready to go live.
How Different Groups Voted
The poll gathered data from a variety of demographic segments, and the results are presented below.
Age
|
Group |
Yes |
No |
|---|---|---|
|
18 – 24 |
63.42% |
36.58% |
|
25 – 34 |
80.46% |
19.54% |
|
35 – 44 |
85.07% |
14.93% |
|
45 – 54 |
83.41% |
16.59% |
|
54+ |
71.67% |
28.33% |
Gender
|
Group |
Yes |
No |
|---|---|---|
|
Men |
83.02% |
16.98% |
|
Women |
69.11% |
30.89% |
Education level
|
Group |
Yes |
No |
|---|---|---|
|
Middle school |
79.37% |
20.63% |
|
High school |
72.56% |
27.44% |
|
Vocational/Technical college |
74.08% |
25.92% |
|
University |
77.14% |
22.86% |
|
Post-graduate |
80.87% |
19.13% |
About the poll
MD Betting commissioned Pollfish, Inc. to carry out this poll. All statistics, unless specified otherwise, originate from Pollfish, Inc. The survey involved 1,000 adults from Maryland and was conducted between November 25 and December 1, 2023.
The responses have been adjusted to accurately represent the entire adult population of Maryland aged 18 and over. In this study, the term ‘voter’ is used to describe someone who confirmed their registration to vote in Maryland when asked.
