Sports Wagering - Independent Evaluation of Sports Wagering Content - Required

SB 708 requires sports wagering licensees and operators advertising in Maryland to contract with licensed independent evaluators to assess their advertising content, experts, influencers, and content partners. This replaces the previous optional language ("may") with a mandatory requirement ("shall"), effective July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects businesses holding sports wagering licenses in Maryland that run state-based advertising. It establishes a specific process for evaluating advertising materials to ensure compliance, rather than leaving evaluation to the discretion of the operators. The law amends Maryland’s existing statute (Article - State Government, Section 9-1E-17(d)) to mandate this evaluation.