Maryland Lottery & Gaming Urges Residents To Only Use Legal Sports Gambling Sites

It has a list of state-authorized gaming sites is available on line.Baltimore, Md (KM) The college football season is starting up this week, and NFL players will begin playing their games on Thursday, September 4th. And that also means gambling. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency urges fans to use online gaming and sports sites authorized by the state. .”This is a fun time of year for sports fans. Football season is something everybody looks forward and it’s also typically the busiest time of the year for sports wagering,” says Seth Elkin, a spokesman for Maryland Lottery and Gaming. “We want to remind everyone of the legal options for sports wagering in Maryland, and how to tell the difference between the legal and illegal options.”Elkin says there are 11 online sports betting platforms and 13 fantasy sports platforms authorized in Maryland. He says there are the ones sports bettors in Maryland should use. “We have a list of all of Maryland’s authorized sports betting operators available at mdgaming.com. But there are lot of illegal sites that pose risks to consumers. So we want people to know the difference and know how to find the legal option,” he says.”Those are the only 24 mobile platforms or online platforms where it is sate and legal in Maryland to place your wagers or to play,” Elkin continues. “Anything beyond those 24 is not licensed, is not authorized and it’s has not gone through the vetting process that the state has in place.”Elkin says these approved platforms have to adhere to some stringent state requirements when it comes verifying their customers’ identities and protecting their personal data. The illegal sites are not are subject to this regulations. “There’s also no way to be sure that you’ll be paid if you win on an illegal platform, or to get help if you have a dispute with them,” he says.Some of these illegal sites  operate outside of the United States, and Elkin says they’re often out of reach from state and federal authorities. “You can contact us. You can contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office; and also the Federal Trade Commission looks into deceptive or fraudulent online business practices. So those are places you can go to contact somebody,. to alert someone to a problem But we don’t have the authority over them to pursue anything,” he says.So in the end, Elkin says it’s better to deal with the 24 state-approved gaming platforms. “We know that there’s a lot of activity in sports wagering when the football season begins and want people to do it through the approved and licensed operators,” he says.Gambling has become a part of the football season, but Elkin says don’t overdo it. “Please play responsibly no matter where you’re gambling. Any kind of gambling that you’re involved in, please play responsibly. within your means. Remember that it’s a form of entertainment. It’s not a way of generating income. Have fun with it. Keep it something fun. Keep it something social. . And please pay responsibly,” he says.If you have a problem with gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER.By Kevin McManus