- NC sports gambling advanced with progress on two bills that would legalize online sports betting in North Carolina come January 1st, 2023.
- If the bills are signed into law as-is, legalized online sports gambling could begin as soon as Jan. 1.
- North Carolina is expected to release 10 to 12 licenses for sportsbook operators such as DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel.
North Carolina online sports betting just made one giant leap towards legalization. Lawmakers expected NC to go “live” sometime during the start of the 2022-23 NFL season, but the earliest date now is Jan. 1st, 2023, which will be firmed up by June 30th.
The initial projections predict North Carolina’s state could collect between $8 million and $24 million per year in tax revenue, but these estimates would rise if lawmakers adopt a higher rate of tax in the second bill.
North Carolina Sports Betting Bill
The NC sports betting bill, SB 688, passed the Senate last year and started this session, and was reviewed by the House Judiciary 1 Committee who agreed on two sports bills Tuesday that work in tandem with the legalization of online sports betting & apps across North Carolina. Senate Bill 688 passed a divided Senate last year.
Meanwhile, Senate Bill 38, an unrelated bill that also passed last year, will be removed and changed to a sports gambling bill Tuesday. The legislation will allow gambling on professional sports and unlike New York sports betting, will allow college sports betting, as well as horse racing. While taking bets on youth sports, defined as events in which the majority of competitors are under 18 isn’t permitted under the legislation.
The updated legislation will allow betting on non-NC horse racetracks. In addition to professional, college sports & NASCAR events that may be wagered upon on-site or nearby. North Carolina is home to the NFL team Carolina Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Charlotte Hornets in NBA.
How Close is North Carolina Online Sports Betting?
In the state of North Carolina, officially legalized gambling dates from 2021. However, only bets are made at the state’s two tribal casinos in person. The North Carolina state legislature passed SB 688 into law in November 2021, which allowed gambling websites.
Once NC can draw up the last section of the bill regarding tax, we should have a firm timeline by June. With Jan. 2023 in mind, North Carolina is officially just over 6 months away from having licensed online sports betting sites and apps for the public to use.
NC Positive & Negative Outlooks as Expected
As with any political delve into sports betting, NC lawmakers are divided on the impact of online sports betting going across North Carolina. From increased revenue from taxes to spending on schools & infrastructure. To gambling problems that are heightening with ease, since users can access sportsbook apps via mobile devices.
North Carolina residents remain split on the issue, according to polls. A Spectrum News/IPSOS poll found that just 36% of registered voters support sports betting, while a survey from WRAL News shows 52% of respondents want legal online sports betting.
“We had … a ton of other people involved in this, and it was slow-moving and a lot of conversations. This is an individual issue and some are comfortable, some are not,” said Sen. Jim Perry, a Lenoir County Republican shepherding the gambling legislation, which both passed the committee by 6-3 votes.
Marcia Morey, D-Durham, a former U.S. Olympic swimmer who worked in NCAA enforcement, told WRAL News before Tuesday’s hearing. She is not a member of the committee. “If we maybe took a step at looking at the big sports facilities having in-person betting. But to suddenly put it on everyone’s mobile phone, to have access to instant wagering every 10 seconds on different aspects of sports, I just think it’s a bad idea.”
US States & Canadian Provinces Legalization for Sports Betting Continues
Sports betting has rapidly grown in popularity in states throughout the country, notably, after the United States Supreme Court overturned a law in 2018. Now, 20 states and D.C. allow mobile sports betting, while 28 states and D.C. allow in-person sports betting with a large selection of online sportsbooks.
Maine, Kansas, and Ohio are all expected to launch into the online sports betting stratosphere by the next Super Bowl in 2023. It’s all across North America, that online sports betting is now legal including in Canada with Ontario online sports betting launching earlier this Spring.
Stay tuned to Betting Insider Journal for all the sports betting legalization news across the US.