Vanessa Atterbeary, a Maryland legislator leading an effort to legalize online casino gaming in the state, has been named the American Gambling Awards 2024 Policymaker of the Year.

The Gambling.com Group, producer of the American Gambling Awards, will host the winners, judges and other invited guests at an exclusive VIP dinner on Nov. 21 at Torrisi, an acclaimed Michelin Star (2023) restaurant in New York City.

 Legislator Discusses iGaming Bill, Sports Betting Taxes

 A corporate lawyer who also served as assistant attorney general for the District of Columbia, Atterbeary is a member of the Maryland legislative Women’s Caucus and the Black Caucus. She also chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

During the 2024 legislative session in Annapolis, the state capital, Atterbeary, D-Howard County, was successful in winning approval in the House of a bill to legalize online casino gaming, known as iGaming. The measure was the only iGaming bill to pass out of one legislative chamber in 2024. After winning approval in the House, however, the bill was shelved in the Senate.

Online casinos gaming allows users to go onto a computer or cellphone to play traditional casino games such as craps, blackjack and roulette. While sports betting is legal in Washington, D.C., and 38 states, including Maryland, iGaming is legal in only a half-dozen states. Maryland also is home to brick-and-mortar casinos that allow people to place in-person sports bets.

Although Atterbeary’s iGaming bill was bottled up in the Senate this year, the lawmaker told Gambling.com she might introduce an iGaming bill at the next legislative session.

“Maryland is facing significant budget challenges in the next coming years, and when it comes to education, we need to seek funding for that, and for me, that’s what iGaming would do,” she recently said on Gambling.com’s “The Edge,” adding, “We need to legalize it.”

Atterbeary said the potential push for online lottery games, plus iGaming competition from other states, are arguments in favor of iGaming legalization in Maryland.

“There’s a very strong chance that it will be introduced again,” the House delegate said of an iGaming bill. She added that her bill would include jobs for dealers working in live iGaming studios.

Meanwhile, on the topic of sports betting tax increases, an issue that has cropped up in other states, Atterbeary said she doesn’t “see a tax hike coming in sports betting” in Maryland.

‘Shaping Maryland’s iGaming Future’

 Atterbeary said she is honored to receive the 2024 Policymaker Of The Year award, “which highlights the power of collaboration in shaping Maryland’s iGaming future.”

“This achievement is just the beginning, and I remain committed to creating a regulatory environment that encourages innovation and ensures that every community member has a voice in the process,” she said. “Together, we can build a vibrant and inclusive iGaming landscape that benefits all Marylanders.”

Charles Gillespie, Gambling.com Group co-founder and chief executive officer, congratulated Atterbeary on being named Policymaker of the Year.

“Her tireless work in advancing Maryland’s iGaming legislation, even in the face of divided stakeholder groups, demonstrates remarkable leadership, vision and perseverance,” Gillespie said. “By championing a bill that not only supports job growth and local business participation but also ensures a competitive and inclusive marketplace, Delegate Atterbeary has set Maryland on a path for future success in the iGaming space.”

Judges Select Winners In 12 Categories

 The Gambling.com Group’s annual American Gambling Awards highlight the top companies, products and executives in the regulated U.S. online gaming market. The awards were first presented in 2019. Winners receive a Golden Eagle trophy in recognition of their achievements in the industry.

This year’s winners were selected by a panel of 20 judges, including FanDuel CEO Amy Howe, BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins.

 Below are the 12 categories in this year’s American Gambling Awards.

1.  Online Casino of the Year

2.  Gaming Product of the Year

3.  Betting Product of the Year

4.  Online Sportsbook of the Year

5.  Platform Provider of the Year

6.  Data Service Provider of the Year

7.  Payment Service Provider of the Year

8.  Responsible Gaming Award

9.  Dealmaker of the Year

10. Policymaker of the Year

11. Regulator of the Year

12. C-Suite Gaming Executive of the Year

For more information, visit www.gambling.com/us/awards.