House Bill 1226 passed the Maryland House of Delegates by a 134-2 vote in 2026 - out of 141 members, that's about as close to unanimous as a contested gambling bill gets. It still died anyway, stalled in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee when the session ran out of days. That means the casinos below remain legal in Maryland right now, but "right now" is carrying real weight in that sentence.
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Top 5 sweepstakes casinos available in Maryland
Several major brands already exclude Maryland voluntarily, ahead of any statute - WOW Vegas, McLuck, Coinsback, Hello Millions, and Jackpota all currently block Maryland registrations per their own terms. The five below don't:
| Rank | Casino | No-Deposit Offer | Cash Redemption Min | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crown Coins Casino | 100,000 CC + 2 SC | Not clearly published | Most Trusted by Players |
| 2 | Sportzino | 170,000 GC + 7 SC | Not published - check in-app | Best Casino + Sportsbook |
| 3 | Zula Casino | 120,000 GC + 10 SC | Not published - check in-app | Best New-Player Experience |
| 4 | RealPrize | 100,000 GC + 2 SC | Not published - check in-app | Best Live Dealer & Game Shows |
| 5 | Fortune Wins | Up to 20M GC + $50 FC (varies) | Not published - check in-app | Biggest Gold Coin Welcome |
Table cross-checked against each brand's own state-exclusion list in our database as of July 27, 2026; re-verify before you register, since these lists move often. See how we rank all 30 tested casinos for the full methodology.
Sportzino and Zula Casino both outscore several larger names on our 12-criteria model despite not publishing an exact redemption minimum - a sportsbook pairing and an unusually deep slots library, respectively, carry enough weight in Game Library and User Experience to offset that gap. If a fast, published cash-out minimum matters more to you than either feature, weigh the table above against our full rankings before committing to one brand.
Bill watch: what happened to HB 1226, HB 295, and SB 652
Maryland ran three separate 2026 bills at once. HB 1226 passed the House 134-2; a second bill, HB 295, passed 105-24; both died in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee before a vote. SB 652, which would have given regulators and the Attorney General more cease-and-desist power short of a full ban, stalled after a hearing. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency actively backed the ban bills - a sponsor with regulatory authority and a return trip in 2027 is a reasonable expectation, though not a confirmed filing.
How to start playing in Maryland
- Pick a brand from the table above based on what you value - redemption speed, live dealer games, or Gold Coin volume.
- Register with a valid ID; expect a KYC check before your first redemption. Our registration and KYC guide covers what documents operators actually ask for.
- Claim the no-deposit welcome offer before buying any Gold Coins.
- Log in daily - most brands run an escalating login bonus on top of the welcome offer.
- Request free Sweeps Coins by mail through AMOE if you'd rather not purchase; our free-coins guide has the exact format.
- Redeem once you clear the brand's playthrough and minimum - see the table above for what's published.