North Carolina to Launch Online Sports Betting in March

North Carolina will begin accepting online sports betting wagers in less than two months.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission announced on Wednesday that online sports betting operators with licenses in the state can begin accepting wagers on March 11. The news comes ahead of March Madness, which saw approximately 68 million people wager roughly $15.5 billion during last year’s tournament, according to the American Gaming Association.

“In a few short months, we’ve built our infrastructure,” said Deputy Executive Director of Gaming Compliance and Sports Wagering SterlCarpenter. “We’ve put together a regulatory framework from scratch and we assembled the team to be sure there is still much to do.”

Sports fans across North Carolina can begin registering for accounts across the state’s seven online sportsbooks on March 1. Initial operators in the Tar Heel State will include bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, ESPNBet, FanaticsSportsbook, FanDuel, and UnderdogFantasy pending regulatory approval.

The operators, which are still seeking final approval for wagering licenses from the NCLC, are required to partner with a professional sports team, venue, or league to be awarded market access in the state. Operators in North Carolina must also complete a compliance process, which includes geolocation testing and a demo of wagering.

Earlier this month, Underdog secured a partnership with golf course owner McConnellGolf for sports betting operations in North Carolina, while DraftKings landed a deal with NASCAR. ESPN Bet – a rebrand of BarstoolSportsbook — has partnered with golf course QuailHollowClub while FanDuel has scored a deal with the PGATour. BetMGM will be backed by CharlotteMotorSpeedway for sports betting in the state and bet365 has partnered with the CharlotteHornets.

Fanatics Sportsbook, which launched in 2023, has inked a partnership with the CarolinaHurricanes. CaesarsSportsbook has also considered entering North Carolina’s online gaming market but has yet to officially name a partner.

House Bill 347, which authorizes online wagering in North Carolina, could help the state generate $1 billion in additional revenue in the first five years of authorized sports betting.