In recent weeks, television viewers have been inundated by ads extolling the progressive record of Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, who is running for reelection in Baltimore’s 46th legislative district, and other ads condemning Delegate Frank M. Conaway Jr., representing the 40th District, as a tool and ally of President Donald Trump.

So far costing more than $688,000, the ads and direct mailers to voters come from American Future, a Dallas, TX,-based PAC (political action committee) that bills itself as good government advocates, committed to electing “strong, bold Democrats to state legislatures who will fight for our future,” including for “quality, affordable health care,” “affordable housing,” “quality schools” and other popular issues.

Unstated is the fact that American Future is bankrolled by the online gambling industry.

Last April, Win for America PAC received $41 million from DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics, which it distributed to American Future, which engages in Democratic races, and American Conservative Fund, which focuses on Republican races.

Between May 21 and May 29, Win for America transferred $4.75 million to American Future for Maryland Democratic races, with no funds going to the American Conservative Fund, according to Maryland State Board of Election records.

As major players in the exploding sports betting world, online platforms like DraftKings are wagering on influencing state legislatures, who largely regulate sports betting since the Supreme Court overturned in 2018 a national ban on such wagers outside of Nevada and a few venues in other states.

Thanks to an earlier Supreme Court ruling, Citizens United, (2010), American Future can legally accept unlimited contributions from any non-foreign source, including corporate and union treasury funds.

It can also spend unlimited amounts to “support” or “oppose” candidates as long as the money doesn’t go directly to the candidate or party. The Supreme Court said such activities by mostly unknown actors (American Future and Win for America doesn’t disclose a donor list) are protected under the free speech rights of the First Amendment.

In addition to promoting the Senate president and denouncing a veteran House delegate, American Future has spent $857,000 on 28 other state Democratic candidates in next Tuesday’s primary. Twenty-seven of the candidates the PAC supports. It opposes Hasan M. “Jay” Jalisi, a former delegate who is running again in Baltimore County’s 10th District.

By and large, the funding pays for direct mailers and online advertising, not television ads, according to a Brew analysis of more than two dozen “48-Hour Reports” submitted between May 18 and June 10 to the State Board of Elections.

The gush of sports betting money comes amid heavy pressure over the past three years in Annapolis for legislation that would legalize online casino gambling.

In the session this year, Senator Ronald L. Watson (D, 23th) again raised the hopes of gambling interests with several bills including one that would have put the issue of iGaming before voters. But he withdrew it amid opposition from local officials and the casino industry. American Future has not promoted his candidacy in next week’s primary.

Ferguson Response

Most of the beneficiaries of American Future are incumbent members of the legislature – including prominent figures like Senator Antonio Hayes in Baltimore and Senator Guy J. Guzzone in Howard County – who face minimal or no primary challenge.

Ferguson is an exception. He acknowledges that Bobby LaPin, a charter-boast captain turned social media influencer, has mounted the first real challenge to his senate seat since he was elected to the 46 district in 2010, representing southeast and and south Baltimore, including Canton, Highlandtown, Fells Point, the east side of downtown, Federal Hill, Brooklyn and Cherry Hill. LaPin has not received any backing from American Future or related PACs.)

Earlier today, Ferguson’s campaign manager, Alli Smith, issued the following statement, which she asked to be printed in full:

“We don’t control outside spending and are legally prohibited from coordinating with it. What we can control is the campaign we’re running, knocking on doors and talking with neighbors, and the leadership Senate President Bill Ferguson brings to the job every day, delivering for this district and this state with more work still ahead.”

“We don’t control outside spending and are legally prohibited from coordinating with it”  – Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson.

As head of a Democratic-dominated Senate, Ferguson has commanding control of legislation that passes through the body. For the last 12 years, he has been closely involved with Caesars Horseshoe Casino, located in his district, as chair of the Local Development Council. The council advises the city on how best to use Local Impact Grants derived from the casino, which are earmarked to benefit and improve South Baltimore communities.

Ferguson has been a strong supporter of the city’s push to develop Warner Street as a nightlife center between the casino and M&K stadium. He’s also backed several allocations that directly benefit the casino and its owner, CBAC Borrower, including the diversion of $3 million in impact funds to allow Casesars to hire more security to protect patrons “from dangers when visiting and/or patronizing the property.”

Conaway Targeted

Conaway is a different story. As of last Wednesday, American Future had spent $360,474 in TV ads, direct mailers, robo calls and online advertising opposing Conaway’s candidacy, according to Elections Board records.

Known as the eccentric “Baby Bear” scion of a political dynasty (his father, the late Frank Sr., was longtime Clerk of the Baltimore Circuit Court, a position now assumed by his nephew, Xavier A. Conaway, while his sister Belinda Conaway is Register of Wills, a position once held by her mother), he has won five consecutive terms of office despite his share of controversies.

(Back in 2014, for example, he resigned from his job in the City Hall mail room amid allegations that he misused city resources by posting a series of rambling online videos featuring talking horses, Rubik’s Cube and cryptograms in ancient Egypt.)

Conway apparently earned the scorn of American Future not so much as an alleged acolyte of Donald Trump, but because he co-sponsored HB-1226, the “Maryland Illegal Online Gambling Enforcement Act,” in the last legislative session. He did not respond to requests for comment delivered through his family.

The bill would forbid individuals and entities from knowingly operating, offering or promoting illegal online gambling, which was defined as any gambling not expressly authorized by the law, including sports wagering conducted through interactive devices. It set up an enforcement mechanism through the attorney general’s office and listed potential fines and imprisonment for anyone knowingly supporting such activities.

The bill passed by an overwhelming margin in the House of Delegate (135-1) on March 23, 2026, only to die in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee that is chaired by Senator Guzzone.

American Future has spent $30,000 to boost Guzzone – who is running unopposed in the June 23 Democratic primary – in direct mailers and online advertising, according to Election Board records.

Update: Conaway Responds

After this story was posted, Conaway spoke to The Brew. “They accuse me of not wanting to get the roads repaired. Of not wanting to fund MTA [Maryland Transit Administration]. They say I’m all in for Donald Trump. All kinds of stuff. I’m really not paying that much attention to this because it’s too ridiculous. I want to get the potholes fixed. I support funding for MTA.”

When the federal government has a warrant for someone’s arrest, he said he doesn’t believe that a school (or church or the post office) should be a place of sanctuary. “They keep bringing up immigration. We’re not talking about immigrants. We’re talking about undocumented people, people with ICE detainers.”

He concluded by saying, “The people know what I’ve done over 20 years. My work speaks for me. I did the police cameras. I’ve been involved with public safety. I was a swing vote to get cannabis legislation through. Juvenile justice reform. I’ve done a lot.”

Support for Antonio Hayes

In Baltimore’s 40th District, American Future has spent $141,964, as of June 10, to support Antonio Hayes and the rest of his “Team 40” – Marlon Amprey, Melissa Wells and Tiffany Welch.

Significantly, the team dropped Conaway from its 2026 ticket, choosing Welch instead.

Welch is the granddaughter of the late Agnes B. Welch, a West Baltimore councilperson for 27 years, who was succeeded by her father, William “Pete” Welch, famously dubbed “Pistol Pete” after he fired a gun during a 1999 dispute with one of his mother’s campaign workers, who insisted she was owed $40 in illegal “walk-around” money.

Hayes is being challenged by Steven Messmer, a staff attorney at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, a nonprofit that offers legal representation to low-income residents, and prior to that, a Forest Park High School teacher.

Messmer says he will not accept money from corporations or industry lobbying groups.

• Fern Shen contributed to this story.