St. Mary's County - Gaming by Qualified Organization - Permit Required

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0357*

SENATE BILL 357
C7, E1 6lr1420
CF HB 610
By: Senator Bailey
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2026
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 20, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

St. Mary’s County – Gaming by Qualified Organization – License Permit 2
Required 3

FOR the purpose of requiring a qualified organization to hold a gaming license permit 4
whenever the qualified organization conducts operates a certain gaming device in St. 5
Mary’s County; authorizing the County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County to adopt 6
certain regulations; requiring the Board to designate a person to administer the 7
issuance of gaming licenses permits in the county; and generally relating to gaming 8
in St. Mary’s County. 9

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Criminal Law 11
Section 13–2101 and 13–2111 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYL AND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Article – Criminal Law 17

13–2101. 18

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 19

2 SENATE BILL 357

(b) “County commissioners” means the [Board of] County Commissioners of St. 1
Mary’s County. 2

(c) “Designee” means a person designated by the county commissioners to 3
administer the issuance of bingo licenses OR GAMING LICENSES PERMITS in the county. 4

(d) (1) “GAMING DEVICE” MEANS A MECHANISM FOR PLAYING A GAME OF 5
CHANCE. 6

(2) “Gaming device” includes a paddle wheel, wheel of fortune, chance book, 7
bingo, Nevada card, and a stamp machine. 8

(2) (3) “Gaming device” does not include a slot machine, as defined in § 9
12–301 of this article. 10

(e) “Gaming event” means a carnival, bazaar, or raffle. 11

(f) “Qualified organization” means: 12

(1) a volunteer fire company; or 13

(2) a bona fide: 14

(i) religious organization; 15

(ii) fraternal organization; 16

(iii) civic organization; 17

(iv) war veterans’ organization; or 18

(v) charitable organization. 19

(g) “Sheriff” means the Sheriff of St. Mary’s County. 20

13–2111. 21

(A) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , A QUALIFIED 22
ORGANIZATION MUST HOLD A GAMING LICENSE PERMIT WHENEVER THE QUALIFIED 23
ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS OPERATES A GAMING DEVICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH 24
THIS SUBTITLE. 25

(B) A qualified organization may hold a gaming event and may operate a gaming 26
device if an individual or group of individuals does not: 27

(1) benefit financially from the operation of the gaming device; or 28
SENATE BILL 357 3

(2) receive from the operation of the gaming device any proceeds for 1
personal use or benefit. 2

(C) THE COUNTY COMMISSION ERS MAY ADOPT REGULA TIONS, IN 3
CONSULTATION WITH THE DESIGNEE UNDER SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION, TO 4
ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE GAMING ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED THE GAMING DEVICE 5
PERMIT REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION IN THE COUNTY. 6

(D) THE COUNTY COMMISSION ERS SHALL DESIGNATE A PERSON TO 7
ADMINISTER THE ISSUANCE OF GAMING LICENSES PERMITS UNDER THIS SECTION 8
IN THE COUNTY. 9

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
October July 1, 2026. 11

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.