Maryland gambling regulators block sportsbooks’ play to ease oversight of offers to bettors

Leading sports betting companies, eager to gain footholds in the growing Maryland market, asked the state to roll back rules intended to safeguard bettors from misleading promotional offers, according to documents obtained by The Baltimore Sun in a public records request. The state records show mobile sportsbooks, which began operating in Maryland just over six months ago, sought this spring to significantly enhance their ability to offer a variety of splashy inducements, such as free or discounted bets to lure new customers.