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Try, Try Again: O'Malley Schedules Special Session On Gambling

By: WAMU Staff // July 27, 2012
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The Maryland Live! casino in Anne Arundel County, pictured here a few days before it opened in June, could get live-dealer table games under a gambling expansion being considered in Maryland. 
Elliott Francis
The Maryland Live! casino in Anne Arundel County, pictured here a few days before it opened in June, could get live-dealer table games under a gambling expansion being considered in Maryland. 

Maryland lawmakers will hold a special session next month to determine whether to expand gambling in the state.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), as expected, has called for a special session to expand gambling in Maryland to begin in about two weeks. The session will begin on Aug 9, O'Malley said at a news conference Friday in Annapolis with House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.

O'Malley says expanded gambling will create more revenue and jobs for the state, but efforts to pass the expansion in the regular session to increase betting collapsed in the final hours in April.

A gambling work group that O'Malley convened last month to address the issue didn't reach on agreement, and plans for a special session to vote on the measure stayed in limbo. 

Plans call for allowing table games such as poker at Maryland casinos and a new casino site in Prince George's County. Despite the political wrangling, MGM officials have been discussing plans for a casino at National Harbor with state and county officials.

Maryland voters would ultimately have to approve an expansion of gambling.

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