Maryland sweepstakes casinos: agency enforcement and HB 1226 legislative status
Maryland’s evidence includes a November 18, 2025 cease-and-desist notice directed to Chumba Casino. The agency identifies consideration, chance and prize in the reviewed offering. Its February 2026 director report records 75 notices as of February 13, with 24 operators withdrawing or modifying products. These are meaningful enforcement records and should not be replaced by a generic claim that every free-entry website is accepted.
| Record | Local evidence and scope |
|---|---|
| 1 | A November 18, 2025 agency notice directs Chumba Casino to cease online poker, casino games and sweepstakes in Maryland. |
| 2 | The notice identifies consideration, chance and prize as the elements present in the offering reviewed. |
| 3 | The agency’s February 2026 director report records 75 cease-and-desist letters as of February 13, 2026, with 24 operators withdrawing or modifying their products. |
| 4 | The official 2026 HB 1226 record stops at a Senate hearing and does not show enactment; its proposed October 1 date is not proof that it became law. |
Table sources: Document 1 · Document 2 · Document 3
Maryland sweepstakes casinos: why a proposed October date is not enough
The reviewed HB 1226 history reaches a Senate hearing without showing enactment. An October 1 date printed in proposed text does not make the proposal law. This guide relies on the agency’s actual notices and reports while keeping that legislative distinction clear. The count is dated February 13, 2026; it is not presented as a continuously updated total of every Maryland action.
Maryland sweepstakes casinos: report counts are dated February 13, 2026
Maryland questions about agency enforcement and HB 1226 legislative status
Does Maryland’s cited record show HB 1226 became law?
The reviewed official history does not establish enactment; it stops at a Senate hearing. Its proposed October 1 effective date cannot be used as proof that a new sweepstakes prohibition took effect through that bill.
What does Maryland’s February 2026 report count?
The director report states 75 cease-and-desist letters as of February 13, 2026 and 24 operators withdrawing or modifying products. Those figures describe the report’s dated snapshot, not a live counter or a final judicial determination.
Maryland primary documents
Maryland Lottery and Gaming: Chumba Casino cease-and-desist notice, November 18, 2025 · Maryland Lottery and Gaming: February 2026 Director’s Report · Maryland General Assembly: HB 1226, 2026 Session