Casino lobbyists wrote Maryland gaming regulators’ letter to feds

MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland gaming regulators urged federal officials last year to crack down on sports prediction markets using a letter drafted by casino lobbyists, according to public records obtained by Spotlight on Maryland.

The records raise questions about the independence of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, which is responsible for regulating the state’s gambling industry but relied on language written by the industry’s chief lobbying organization before sending an official policy position to federal regulators.

Documents obtained through a public information request show the American Gaming Association (AGA), which represents commercial casinos, provided Maryland officials with a sample letter urging the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to prohibit sports-related event contracts offered by companies including Kalshi and Polymarket.

Eight days later, in April 2025, the Maryland agency sent a letter to the CFTC that matched the AGA draft's substance word for word, with only state-specific language added.

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