When will North Carolina online sports betting launch?
Care to make a wager on when North Carolina online sports betting will launch?
Monday, Jan. 8, marked the earliest possible launch date by law, but we know for certain that NC legal online sports betting will not be available in time for the NFL Playoffs or even Super Bowl 58 on Feb. 11.
Signs are pointing to a potential launch prior to March Madness. At worst, sports betting must be up and running before June 15, per provisions in House Bill 437.
Gov. Roy Cooper: 'Goal' is to launch NC online sports betting before March Madness
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed HB 437 into law in June 2023. Now, Cooper is leading the push to launch sports betting in time for March Madness. The NCAA men's basketball tournament begins with the "First Four" on March 19-20.
“The goal is to get it out there before March Madness,” Cooper said on the “Ovies and Giglio” radio show. “No guarantee that that’s the case, but I think that is the goal.”
North Carolina State Lottery Commission spokesman Van Denton of sports betting in the Tar Heel State.
"North Carolinians love basketball season and are looking forward to betting to the chance to bet on their favorite teams and players," Denton said. "With all the progress that's been made, the commission expects to be in a position soon to announce when sports betting can begin in North Carolina."
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission received applications for mobile sports betting licenses from seven online sportsbook operators by the stated Dec. 27 deadline. They are:
- bet365
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- ESPN Bet
- Fanatics
- FanDuel
- Underdog Sports
Caesars Sportsbook, which applied for a service provider license, operates two tribal casinos in western North Carolina with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Caesars can offer sports betting under the terms of its tribal deal.
ESPN Bet, FanDuel, Fanatics and bet365 among operators securing pre-launch partnerships
Sportsbooks in North Carolina are required to partner with professional sports teams, golf courses that host a PGA Tour event, auto race tracks, NASCAR or the PGA Tour.
In early December, ESPN Bet gained market access when Penn Interactive announced its partnership with Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. Quail Hollow annually hosts a PGA Tour "signature" event in the Wells Fargo Championship during May.
In November, the Charlotte Hornets became the first pro sports team in North Carolina to align with a sportsbook when bet365 joined on as the NBA club's official mobile sports betting partner.
Fanatics subsequently inked a similar deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, and FanDuel partnered with the PGA Tour to secure North Carolina market access.
DraftKings and NASCAR announced their partnership today, as did BetMGM and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Owner David Tepper's Carolina Panthers stand out as the biggest NC pro sports team yet to align with a sportsbook partner. Tepper Sports also owns Major League Soccer team Charlotte FC, which plays at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
It won't be long before North Carolinians can take advantage of sign-up bonuses and welcome offers from top sports betting apps. The law now allows for as many as 11 sportsbook operators, which will be taxed at a rate of 18%.
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