Maryland Gambling Revenue Tops $1.64B in FY2026 — Sports Betting Alone Delivers $132.3M (+48.8%)
Maryland's Lottery, casinos, sportsbooks and fantasy operators combined for a record $1.637 billion in state contributions in Fiscal Year 2026 — with sports betting jumping 48.8% year-over-year to $132.3M as June closed the fiscal year with a monthly handle record.
Maryland's gambling industry sent a record $1.637 billion to state programs during Fiscal Year 2026 (July 2025 – June 2026), the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MDLGCA) confirmed in its year-end summary published August 7. The total tops the prior fiscal year by $48 million and is the highest single-year contribution since Maryland launched its sports betting program in December 2021.
Sports betting was the growth engine. Sportsbook and fantasy contributions combined for $133.3 million — with sports wagering alone accounting for $132.3 million, up 48.8% from FY2025's $88.9M. The rest of the annual total broke down to $822.2M from Maryland's six casinos and $681.6M in Lottery profits.
FY2026 at a glance (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026)
Sports betting was the year's biggest story
Handle grew from $6.22B to $6.91B — an 11.1% rise. But the state's tax take grew nearly five times faster. Two factors combined:
- The mobile tax hike. Effective June 2025, Maryland raised the mobile sports betting tax from 15% to 20%, with the extra 5 percentage points routed to the state's General Fund rather than the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Fund. FY2026 was the first full fiscal year with the higher rate in place — that alone added roughly $32.6M in General Fund revenue that FY25 didn't collect.
- Higher operator hold. Sportsbooks held about 11-12% of handle across most FY2026 months (May 2026 was a season-high 12.3%). Higher hold means more taxable win per dollar wagered.
- Handle growth from bettors. The 11.1% handle bump on its own would have produced a modest tax rise. Combined with the tax rate hike, the impact compounded.
June closed the year with a record
The final month of FY2026 was the strongest June since online betting launched. Marylanders wagered $523.3 million in June 2026 — up 29.6% year-over-year and a June single-month record. Sportsbooks paid out $468.8M in prizes and held 10.4% for the month, producing $7.6M in state tax contribution.
| Metric | FY2025 | FY2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handle | $6.22B | $6.91B | +11.1% |
| State contribution | $88.9M | $132.3M | +48.8% |
| Blueprint Fund share | ~$88.9M* | $99.7M | — |
| General Fund share | $0** | $32.6M | new |
*Prior to June 2025 tax hike, effectively all sports betting tax went to Blueprint. **General Fund routing began June 2025.
Where the money went
- Blueprint for Maryland's Future Fund — $99.7M. Public education program funded by the pre-existing 15% tax on all sports betting taxable win.
- General Fund — $32.6M. The new 5% mobile levy (since June 2025). Not earmarked — flows into general state operating budget.
- Problem Gambling Fund — separate. Continues to be funded from expired prizes (cumulative $5.5M+ since 2021).
What this means for Maryland bettors
- The market is still expanding. 11.1% handle growth in a mature US sports betting market is meaningful. Maryland isn't saturated yet.
- Operator hold is drifting up. The 11.9% average FY26 hold is above the 10.8% of FY25. Sharper line shopping and disciplined promo-only play matter more each year.
- The tax hike didn't kill handle. Some FY25 forecasts assumed operators would trim promo spend after the mobile rate rose, shrinking bettor incentives and handle. That didn't happen — handle grew 11.1%.
- Watch for potential online-casino legislation. With a proven $1.64B gambling contribution track record, iCasino advocates in Annapolis have a much stronger data-driven case for the 2027 session.
FY2026 will stand as the year sports betting proved it could double its state contribution without cannibalizing the underlying market. $132M from an $88M base — while handle also grew 11%. That combination reshaped the political case for gambling expansion in Maryland.
Methodology and source
All figures are drawn from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency's FY2026 year-end summary released August 7, 2026, and the June 2026 monthly sports wagering report released July 10, 2026. FY2026 covers July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Baltimore Sun reporting on the overall $1.64B figure was published August 7, 2026.