In a state long known for its passion for college basketball and the ACC men’s basketball tournament starting on Tuesday, sports betting is coming to North Carolina on Monday at an opportune time.
On Feb. 29, The North Carolina State Lottery Commission issued the first interactive sports wagering operator licenses to seven companies in advance of the launch of legal sports betting in North Carolina on Monday.
The seven companies receiving licenses are:
- Betfair Interactive US, LLC (dba: FanDuel Sportsbook)
- BETMGM, LLC.
- Crown NC Gaming, LLC (dba: DraftKings)
- FBG Enterprises Opco, LLC (dba: Fanatics Sportsbook)
- Hillside (North Carolina), LLC (dba: bet365)
- Penn Sports Interactive, LLC (dba: ESPN BET)
- Underdog Sports Wagering LLC
“Issuing the first interactive sports wagering operator licenses today represents a major milestone in establishing legal sports betting in North Carolina,” said Ripley Rand, chair of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. “North Carolinians can begin signing up for accounts on their mobile devices on Friday with the confidence they will soon be able to make wagers on their favorite sporting events securely and responsibly.”
Under the Commission’s Sports Wagering Authorization, members of the public who are twenty-one years old or older and who have established accounts with a licensed operator can use their computer, phone, or other electronic device to place sports wagers as of noon on Monday. No legal sports wagering can occur in North Carolina until then.
Overall, the Commission has received nine applications for interactive sports wagering operator licenses. The Commission expects to approve additional licenses soon.
Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law on June 14, 2023, legalizing mobile sports betting in North Carolina. North Carolina residents will be able to legally bet on professional, college, electronic, and Olympic sports and horse racing.
Eight facilities in North Carolina will be allowed to operate in-person sportsbooks:
- Spectrum Center
- Bank of America Stadium
- Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Quail Hollow Country Club
- North Wilkesboro Speedway
- PNC Arena in Raleigh
- WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary
- Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro
Operators will be taxed 18%, and according to BetCarolina.com, the first 12 months of legal mobile sports betting in North Carolina are expected to generate around $130 million in tax revenue for the state.
Tax proceeds will fund youth sports, the NC Department of Health and Human Services, plus North Carolina universities.
“I look at this as more of a voluntary tax from people already taking place in that market,” said Sen. Jim Perry, of Lenoir County. “We know they’re already spending — choosing to spend their money that way. And I believe I owe it to the people I represent to try to find alternative means to meet the needs of the community.”
