Gambling companies spend over $2M on ads to persuade Marryland voters to approve sports betting

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Gambling companies have spent more than $2 million trying to persuade Maryland voters to approve sports betting, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

The Baltimore Sun reports that DraftKings and FanDuel, two online betting companies that stand to make money off sports betting, have about $486,000 left of the $2.75 million they’ve put into a group called “Vote Yes on Question 2.

Most of that money has been used on TV, radio and online advertising and direct mail campaigns.

Meanwhile, the state’s casinos and the Maryland Jockey Club have been offering free on-site advertising, social media and mailings for a group in favor of sports betting that they’re calling “Fund Our Future.”

The Maryland Jockey Club, the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, Hollywood Casino Perryville and Maryland Live! Casino and Hotel contributed a combined $32,300 Fund Our Future. But very little of that cash has been spent, according to their report filed Friday.

Instead, those businesses and other casinos have been making “in-kind” contributions, meaning they are offering work on behalf of the group at no cost.

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