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Read on and learn about the biggest poker tournaments in the Old Line State
Maryland is friendly to various forms of gambling. The state offers both online and retail sports betting, as well as horse racing and lottery.
Poker is part of this market, but only partially because only live poker is regulated. This game of skill has been legal in land-based casinos since 2012, but the state is yet to entertain the idea of legalizing online poker.
It will likely change its stance at some point as it’s surrounded by massive poker markets in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, while Delaware and West Virginia also have regulated markets.
However, this doesn’t mean that Maryland lacks poker tournaments. There are many live competitions in several of the state’s casinos, but players can also participate in online contests on offshore poker sites. We’ll explain how this is possible, so keep reading.
Maryland hasn’t always been a gambling-friendly state. However, a lot has changed in the last two decades.
First, the state legalized table games, including poker, in land-based casinos in 2012. Then, in 2017, the government made daily fantasy sports legal and quickly followed with retail and online sports betting in 2020, with the first sportsbooks entering the scene in late 2022.
Online poker hasn’t yet been regulated, but players can still enjoy poker tournaments both offline and online. You need to be at least 18 years old to play poker.
Online poker in Maryland is not regulated, but it’s also not illegal. It’s in a legal gray area, similar to what we see in most other states, because the law doesn’t specifically mention it. The important thing is that the state doesn’t actively prosecute gamblers for using unregulated online poker platforms.
You can thus safely join reputable offshore poker sites, as they are still regulated, only in a different country. Be careful and use only licensed poker sites like the ones we recommend. These platforms are filled with poker games and regular tournaments featuring No Limit Hold’em, Omaha, and other game variations.
However, if you want to be absolutely sure, it’s always best to consult your lawyer. We are not legal experts, so we can’t know for sure if the law affects poker players.
If you want to play online poker and stay entirely on the safe side with the law, you can join a sweepstakes poker site. Social and sweepstakes gaming is legal in Maryland as it doesn’t involve real money. Popular sites like Global Poker legally operate in the state.
Maryland features several casinos with poker rooms. Four have regular poker tournaments, primarily No Limit Hold’em, with buy-ins typically ranging between $100 and $500. These can sometimes run in the thousands, making them appealing to high rollers.
You’ll find tourneys almost every day in two of the biggest poker rooms in Maryland, found at Maryland Live! Casino and MGM National Harbor. There’s also Horseshoe Baltimore Casino, which is particularly relevant as it was home to the World Series of Poker at one point while Maryland Live! Casino once hosted the World Poker Tour.
Playing poker for real money is legal for every state resident at least 18 years old. However, bear in mind that Maryland casinos require every player to be at least 21 years old to play.
Signing up for a live poker tournament is relatively simple. Still, every casino has its own rules that are explained to you on the spot.
With online poker tournaments, the situation is usually the same across the board as offshore poker sites follow a similar format, even though they are unique in the competitions they offer. Follow these steps:
Our experts have worked hard to find licensed and reputable poker sites that accept players from Maryland.
Ultimately, we’ve only listed the ones with a good collection of t
tournaments, bonuses, and more. You know these sites are safe, so the only thing left to do is choose the one you like the most.
Use our link to visit the official site of the poker platform you’ve chosen. Start the sign-up process and enter the correct personal data.
Follow the procedure to the end and if the site has a welcome bonus, input the required promo code.
Once your account is ready and verified, visit the Cashier section. Find the Deposit area, pick the method you want to use, input the necessary payment data and amount, and complete the transaction. Make sure you’re depositing enough to claim the bonus. The money should arrive instantly or within a few minutes.
If you’ve completed the requirements, you’ll only need to click a button or two, and the freebie will be yours. However, read the relevant T&Cs beforehand to know what you’re signing up for.
The remaining step is to visit the tourney area, pick an available one, and enter it. Good luck, and have fun!
As previously stated, Maryland made casinos and table games legal in 2012. As a result of that regulation, several casinos have opened poker rooms. Currently, there are seven poker rooms in the state, primarily in and around Baltimore.
Out of these, four offer regular tournaments. Here’s an overview of them, together with some vital information:
Name | Address | No. Poker Tables | Cash Games | Tournaments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hollywood Casino Perryville | 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Pkwy, Perryville, Maryland 21903 | 6 | Yes | Yes |
Ocean Downs | 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, Maryland 21811 | 4 | No | No |
Maryland Live! Casino | 7002 Arundel Mills, Circle #7777, Hanover, Maryland 21076 | 50 | Yes | Yes |
Rocky Gap Casino Resort | 16701 Lakeview Rd NE, Flintstone, Maryland 21530 | 3 | No | No |
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore | 1525 Russell St, Baltimore, Maryland 21230 | 23 | Yes | Yes |
MGM National Harbor | 101 MGM National Ave, Oxon Hill, Maryland 20745 | 45 | Yes | Yes |
You’ll be happy to know that Maryland offers daily, weekly, and even monthly poker events. This includes both live and online poker options. For your convenience, we’ve prepared a schedule of ongoing and upcoming poker tournaments.
We keep the schedule as current as possible, so you can always find the latest competitions to check out.
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Even though it is less famous a poker destination than its larger neighbors, Maryland has more than enough options for anyone looking for an exciting poker tournament to join. The land-based casinos in the area offer constant action, while offshore poker sites offer an even more comprehensive range of tournaments for fans of the online version of the game.
All that’s left for you to do is to look at the schedule, pick a tournament, and jump in on the action.
You can view the schedule for upcoming poker tournaments in Maryland right here on this site. We strive to cover both online and live poker competitions any Maryland resident of legal age can join.
Yes, you can, but only on offshore poker sites. The state doesn’t regulate online poker, so you have to be careful which platform you choose. Maryland considers joining these sites illegal, but since it’s not precisely mentioned in the state’s laws, the government is not prosecuting players for joining international sites.
Yes, seven land-based casinos feature small or medium-sized poker rooms, with the number of tables going from six in Hollywood Casino Perryville to 50 in Maryland Live! Casino at Arundel Mills.
Yes, of course. You can play live poker in one of several land-based poker rooms scattered around Baltimore and the rest of the state. You can also enjoy online poker games and tournaments on offshore poker sites, as Maryland doesn’t prosecute players for doing so, even though it hasn’t regulated its own market.