Losing gaming technology providers Gaming Innovations LLC and IGT Global Solutions have put a big question mark on the regularity of bidding of the $263 million Maryland lottery computer network contract after the state agency favored an incumbent vendor.

Both Gaming Innovations and IGT have protested the awarding of Maryland lottery contract to rival Scientific Games International of Las Vegas, claiming that the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency made “arbitrary and capricious” choices in evaluating the bids, according to The Baltimore Sun.

IGT was the first to raise hell over the tainted bidding process as it accused the agency of irregularly attempting to run up the contract’s long-term value in an attempt to minimize future oversight by the state Board of Public Works.

The London-based gaming tech company has alleged that lottery officials informed them that the bid request includes internet lottery sales. The state agency explained that they wanted to avoid further “burdensome” review by the public works board if lawmakers were to approve an expansion of gambling in Maryland to include lottery ticket sales over the internet.