Maryland Advances HB 295 to Ban Sweepstakes Games

Maryland lawmakers moved one sweepstakes-related bill a step closer on Tuesday after the House Ways and Means Committee advanced HB 295 with amendments. The measure would prohibit certain online and mobile “interactive games,” putting fresh pressure on sweepstakes-style casino platforms as the state keeps debating whether to ban them or regulate them.

A hearing on the measure was held in the House Ways and Means Committee, and the bill page shows HB 295 is the governor-requested Lottery and Gaming Control Agency measure titled Gaming – Prohibition on Interactive Games and Revenue From Illegal Markets. The fiscal note says it would prohibit a person from operating, conducting, or promoting an interactive game in the state.

Good to Know

• HB 295 would ban certain online “interactive games” tied to casino-style play and multi-currency systems.
• The bill was introduced by request of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency and is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.
• Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency briefing materials say the state has also been pursuing broader efforts against illegal online gambling.

Committee Action Puts HB 295 Ahead of Other Bills

HB 295 now stands out because it became one of the clearer enforcement vehicles in the current Maryland debate over sweepstakes casinos. The bill text targets games that use multiple currency systems and simulate casino gaming, lottery games, or sports wagering, while carving out games that only award noncash prizes. Amendments filed this week added language around rewards and clarified parts of enforcement authority.

Maryland regulators have been arguing for months that illegal online gaming is growing while the state has limited tools to stop it. Budget and agency documents tied to the 2026 session say HB 295 and Senate companion SB 112 are meant to define illegal online gaming more clearly and authorize penalties for operating those platforms.

Broader Sweepstakes and iGaming Debate Still Open

The vote also lands in the middle of a wider fight in Annapolis. Other bills have been filed around sweepstakes-style gaming, and lawmakers are also still weighing whether Maryland should open a regulated iGaming market rather than focus only on prohibition. Industry voices remain split, with traditional gaming interests and regulators backing tougher enforcement while sweepstakes operators keep pressing for a regulatory path instead. That tension has made HB 295 one of the more closely watched gambling bills in the state this session.

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