Update: Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission Chair E. Randolph Marriner will fill the remaining seat on the seven-member independent SWARC, according to information released today by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
All seven seats have now been filled on the board that will award Maryland’s sports wagering licenses, keeping the state on pace for an expected sportsbook launch later this year.
Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission Chair E. Randolph Marriner will serve as Gov. Larry Hogan’s third and final appointee on the independent Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC). Marriner was appointed Chair of the state Lottery and Gaming Control Commission by the governor in January 2021.
Hogan — who is responsible for filling three seats on the commission under Maryland’s 2021 sports wagering law – announced his other two SWARC appointees yesterday. Those include Thomas M. Brandt, Jr., who will chair SWARC, and Bert Hash, Jr. Hash is Vice Chair of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.
Four legislative appointments to SWARC were made by Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson last week.
While final criteria for licensing haven’t been released, SWARC will be required to consider racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of applicants in its decisions under state law “to the extent permitted by federal and state law.”
List of SWARC Appointees
Here are short bios of all seven SWARC appointees:
Chairman Thomas M. Brandt, Jr., appointed by Gov. Hogan on June 30. Brandt is former CFO of TeleCommunication Systems, a wireless technology company based in Maryland. Brandt served on the Maryland Board of Trustees for Teachers and State Employees’ Supplemental Retirement Plans until June 30.
Laura Gamble, appointed by Senate President Bill Ferguson on June 25. Gamble is regional president of PNC for Greater Maryland and trustee of the Baltimore Community Foundation and Mercy Health Systems.
Bert Hash, Jr., appointed by Gov. Hogan on June 30. Hash — who is the current Vice Chair of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission — is retired President and CEO of the Municipal Employees Credit Union of Baltimore and former Chairman of the Maryland and District of Columbia Credit Union Association. He is a member emeritus of the Board of Directors of the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC).
Rosie Allen-Herring, appointed by President Ferguson on June 25. Allen-Herring is CEO of United Way of the National Capital Area. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Greater Washington Board of Trade, MedStar Health, and WesBanco.
E. Randolph Marriner. the Chair of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission. Marriner is former Chairman/CEO of Maryland-based advertising firm Marriner Marketing Communications.
Cassandra Stevenson, appointed by Speaker Adrienne A. Jones on June 23. Stevenson is senior Vice President and head of corporate tax at Raymond James Financial.
Frank Turner, appointed by Speaker Jones on June 23. Turner is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates where he served as Vice Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee.
What’s Next In The Maryland Sports Betting Process
SWARC will be responsible for reviewing applications for and issuing around 100 sports betting licenses in the state as early as this fall under the state’s sports betting law. But that process may not begin for at least a couple of weeks.
First, Maryland must approve state regulations that set out criteria for its sports wagering licensing decisions. Tentative approval of the regulation by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission is set for July 15.
About the Author
