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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb0046*
HOUSE BILL 46
C7 6lr1647
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Queen
Requested: November 1, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Sports Wagering – Gambling Prevention Technology Pilot Program 2
– Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Gambling Prevention Technology Pilot Program in the 4
State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission; requiring Bowie State University 5
and Morgan State University to participate in the Pilot Program ; requiring the 6
Commission, in collaboration with certain entities, to designate certain no gambling 7
zones on each campus , develop certain informational signage , and identify and 8
implement certain technologies; and generally relating to the Gambling Prevention 9
Technology Pilot Program. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – State Government 12
Section 9–1E–18 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – State Government 18
9–1E–18. 19
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
(2) “GEOFENCE” MEANS A VIRTUAL PERIMETER AROUND A PHYSICAL 22
LOCATION. 23
2 HOUSE BILL 46
(3) “PILOT PROGRAM” MEANS THE GAMBLING PREVENTION 1
TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM. 2
(B) (1) THERE IS A GAMBLING PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY PILOT 3
PROGRAM IN THE COMMISSION. 4
(2) BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY AND MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 5
SHALL PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM. 6
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TO: 7
(1) IDENTIFY STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING OR MITIGAT ING THE 8
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF PROBLEM GAMBLING BY STUDENTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES 9
IN THE STATE; 10
(2) COMPILE AND ANALYZE DATA ON THE VIABILITY OF UTILIZING 11
TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING GEOFENCING TECHNOLOGY, TO REDUCE PROBLEM 12
GAMBLING; AND 13
(3) GAIN INSIGHTS TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT OF EXISTING ONLINE 14
SPORTS WAGERING LAWS IN THE STATE. 15
(D) THE COMMISSION, IN COLLABORATION WIT H BOWIE STATE 16
UNIVERSITY, MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AND THE MARYLAND CENTER OF 17
EXCELLENCE ON PROBLEM GAMBLING, SHALL: 18
(1) IDENTIFY LOCATIONS AND BOUNDARIES ON EACH PARTICIPATING 19
CAMPUS TO BE DESIGNATED AS NO GAMBLING ZONES; 20
(2) DEVELOP INFORMATIONAL SIGNAGE TO BE POSTED AROUND 21
EACH ZONE; AND 22
(3) IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT ANY COST–EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES 23
THAT FURTHER THE GOA LS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, INCLUDING REAL –TIME 24
MONITORING OF ONLINE SPORTS WAGERING ACTIVITY. 25
(E) (1) EACH ONLINE SPORTS WAGERING OPERATOR SHALL: 26
(I) ESTABLISH A GEOFENCE ENCOMPASSING THE DESIGNATED 27
NO GAMBLING ZONE THAT PREVENTS ACCESS TO THE OPERATOR’S ONLINE SPORTS 28
WAGERING PLATFORM WITHIN THE BOUNDARY; AND 29
HOUSE BILL 46 3
(II) COLLABORATE WITH THE COMMISSION TO ENFORCE AND 1
IMPLEMENT THE RESTRICTION WITHIN T HE BOUNDARIES OF THE NO GAMBLING 2
ZONES. 3
(2) IF AN INDIVIDUAL ATTEMPTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ONLINE SPORTS 4
WAGERING WHILE WITHIN THE DESIGNATED GEOFENCE, THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL BE: 5
(I) PREVENTED FROM ONLINE SPORTS WAGERING; AND 6
(II) SHOWN A WARNING THAT CONTAINS INFORMATION ON: 7
1. THE PILOT PROGRAM UNDER THIS SECTION; AND 8
2. OPTIONS FOR OBTAINING RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING 9
ASSISTANCE. 10
(F) THE COMMISSION SHALL DETE RMINE THE TIME FRAME AND 11
NECESSARY STEPS TO ESTABLISH THE PILOT PROGRAM. 12
(G) THE COMMISSION MAY NOT FINE, PENALIZE, OR OTHERWISE SANCTION 13
AN ONLINE SPORTS WAGERING OPERATOR FOR UNFORESEEABLE TECHNOLOGICAL 14
FAILURES THAT OCCUR WITHIN THE GEOFENCED BOUNDARIES DURING THE PILOT 15
PROGRAM. 16
(H) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2031, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT A 17
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THIS ARTICLE, 18
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON ITS FINDINGS FROM THE PILOT PROGRAM, 19
INCLUDING INFORMATION ON THE E FFECTIVENESS AND VIA BILITY OF 20
IMPLEMENTING GEOFENCING TECHNOLOGY TO LIMIT THE NEGATIVE E FFECTS OF 21
PROBLEM GAMBLING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES IN THE STATE. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 5 years and, at the end of June 30, 2031, 24
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 25
of no further force and effect. 26