ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has signed legislation to enable college athletes to earn money from endorsements.
The Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act is named after the former University of Maryland offensive lineman who died in 2018 after suffering from heatstroke at a team workout.
In addition to allowing college athletes to earn money from use of their name, likeness and image, it requires athletic departments to implement guidelines to prevent, assess, and treat serious sports-related conditions.
More than a dozen states have approved laws to allow athletes to be compensated for use of their name, image or likeness, or NIL for short.
Hogan also signed off on the sports betting bill for Maryland that was passed by state lawmakers in April.
This will mean that the state can start working with betting companies to get sports betting and online site establishments opened in the state.
There will be 60 available online sports betting licenses in Maryland. That would be more than any other state has issued yet, according to Legal Sports Report.
Virginia and D.C. have already started their online and in-person sports betting deals.