Michael’s on the South River, a waterfront events venue in Riva, could be the latest location in Anne Arundel County to host sports betting.
The venue on Riva Road, operated by Kathe P. Hospitality Services, was among three applicants that qualified for a sports wagering license by the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission last month. New licenses are not yet official. SWARC will consider the license awards at its Feb. 15 meeting.
The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission said in a Jan. 26 news release that under Maryland law the commission conducts background investigations to verify applicants have demonstrated business practices that were honest and with integrity to qualify for licensing. To be a viable applicant, companies are required to demonstrate that at least 5% of their ownership was held by individuals with a net worth of less than $1.847 million. This was instituted to “broaden participation in the industry,” per SWARC.
A sportsbook has yet to be identified for Kathe P. Hospitality, the commission said.
The other facility applicants were Canton Gaming, LLC operating out of The Green Turtle Sports Bar and Grille in Canton and Towson. Two businesses have applied for mobile sports wagering licenses: Crab Sports Maryland and SBOpco, LLC (Super Book).
If approved, Michael’s would join Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover and BingoWorld in Brooklyn Park as sports wagering license holders in Anne Arundel County. FanDuel, the sportsbook partnered with Live! Casino and Hotel, and BetRivers, the betting app for Bingo World, were among the first seven gambling apps that launched in the state last fall.
BetRivers was the first sportsbook to turn a profit, pulling in just over $28,000 in the first week of legal gambling in November. The other six sportsbooks, including FanDuel, posted millions of dollars in losses. In December, the first full month of operation, sports wagering generated more than $440,000 for Maryland.
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There were $44,791 in contributions to the state from mobile wagering, and retail sportsbooks accounted for $395,252, according to a news release.
Each sportsbook contributes 15% of its taxable win to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs.