Finally, sports betting fans in North Carolina have reason to celebrate as the state regulator has formally announced a date for market entry. NC residents can start creating online and mobile betting accounts on March 1st ahead of a March 11th debut.
Following months of preparation, North Carolina is a few weeks away from the official launch of regulated online and mobile sports betting. The debut date is set for March 11th, right in time for the famed March Madness tournament. Additionally, the Tar Heel state has set up systems to usher in retail sports wagering soon after the launch of online and mobile sports betting.
This landmark decision was rubber-stamped when the North Carolina State Lottery Commission approved the proposed launch date in a unanimous vote. Licensed operators like FanDuel, MGM, and DraftKings, who are plying their trade in North Carolina, will be allowed to start signing up new players from March 1st. The NC Lottery Commission Chair Ripley Rand expressed his joy at the Commission’s decision, saying:
Bets on sporting events have been made for as long as those events have taken place, but this time, they will be legal, they will be done securely and fairly, and they will be made under rules designed to encourage responsible gambling.
Prior to the official announcement by the Lottery Commission, there was a ton of speculation in North Carolina over the projected launch date. Interest in the matter peaked when the Commission announced that January 26th would be the deadline for operators to submit their prospective Internal Controls.
Initially, the NC Lottery Commission had set June 15th as the last date it wanted sports betting to be implemented within state lines. However, this date was widely expected to be moved forward, as has already happened. With that, North Carolina will become the 30th state in the country, alongside the District of Columbia, to offer legal mobile sports wagering.
Sterl Carpenter, a Commission executive in charge of sports gambling, told commission members:
The Commission has directed staff to implement sports betting as soon as practicable and to do it in a complete, professional, transparent manner, and with the highest standards of integrity… We’ve done our best to achieve these directives.
While there was a consensus that the launch of mobile wagering in North Carolina would almost certainly miss the Superbowl’s February 11th date, March Madness was the real target. You see, after the Superbowl, few sporting competitions in the US can lay claim to the numbers March Madness usually attracts. The decision to launch on March 11th also had the ACC’s men’s basketball tournament in mind, one of the most cherished sporting events in North Carolina. The ACC men’s basketball tournament is scheduled to commence on March 12th, with the NCCA men’s and women’s basketball event following the week after.
Although the North Carolina sports betting bill specified some of the rules that will govern the trade in the state, there are still some details that need to be clarified. That said, we have enough information to paint a clear picture of what you can expect. For starters, only individuals aged at least 21 and above will be able to access the broad spectrum of sports betting options in NC. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, a framework has already been discussed and ratified to legalize retail sports betting.
Further, operators seeking approval to run sports betting in the state must partner with a sports team, league, or venue within North Carolina. It comes as no surprise that the traditional betting bigwigs have already lined themselves up in favorable positions seeking to get a piece of the lucrative sports wagering pie.
BetMGM, for instance, has struck a deal with Charlotte Motor Speedway. This complex is renowned for occasionally hosting the famed stock car racing series NASCAR. Similarly, DraftKings has also made its play in North Carolina by partnering with NASCAR. The fine print of this deal will mean that DraftKings will now assume a role as NASCAR’s daily fantasy sports partner.
Fanatics Betting and Gaming has also moved into the old North State by partnering with the NHL team, Carolina Hurricanes, as the team’s official sports wagering partner. Underdog has also announced that it will partner with McConnell Golf as it enters NC.
Overall, nine entities have applied for licenses that will allow them to operate within North Carolina. These applications are currently under review.
While there is obvious excitement about the fast-approaching launch date, there have been varying views on what this could mean for North Carolina. Those who support the move argue that money previously going to the underground sports betting ring will be better utilized when channeled legally.
This claim is backed up by financial analysts of the General Assembly, who project that revenue to the tune of $1 billion will be generated over the next five years by the NC online and mobile gaming industry. Of this, the analysts expect $70 million will be channeled towards the state, whereas $30 million is likely to go towards youth support programs and athletics at 13 UNC system schools. Finally, $40 million is expected to go toward the state’s general fund from taxes and wagered fees for the next five years.
That said, there has also been some opposition to the move, more so from Les Bernal, the National Director of Stop Predatory Gambling. According to him, gambling is an epidemic that should not be allowed to spread in the country. He said:
Online gambling, sports gambling, is the equivalent of gambling heroine. You are going to unleash an incredible epidemic of child gambling because of the amount of advertising that comes along with online sports gambling.
Well, while a regulated sports betting scene has its downside, North Carolinians will certainly be much better off in an environment where the law protects them. As long as there is proper industry regulation, the activity can be conducted safely and responsibly.
Blackjack
Slots
Roulette
Baccarat
Craps
Poker
