It is not a question of if mobile sports betting is coming to North Carolina but when. And reports are circulating that the Tar Heel State could have its launch before the men’s national basketball tournament commences in the middle of March. Let’s see how the landscape is getting set for the online sportsbooks‘ upcoming months.
Governor Gives Hope
The legislation responsible for sports betting in North Carolina requires that the launch occur by June 15th, and for those hoping to get a wager down on the Super Bowl on February 11th, that has unfortunately been ruled out.
Therefore, the timeline is somewhere between mid-February and mid-June, and although no one knows exactly when, sports bettors are eagerly awaiting an announcement of a specific date.
However, another milestone on the sports betting calendar is March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament that generates plenty of interest in North Carolina due to several in-state D-1 programs like those found at the University of North Carolina, Duke, NC State, Davidson, and Wake Forest.
And it was the governor himself who spoke about the possibility of a mobile launch in time for the Madness. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in a recent radio interview, “The goal is to get it out there before March Madness. No guarantee that that’s the case, but I think that is the goal.”
A spokesperson from the state lottery also made a statement cautiously supporting the governor’s contention saying, “If progress continues at the pace it is now, an earlier start date than June 15 should be achievable, as the governor indicated. North Carolinians love basketball season and are looking forward [to] the chance to bet on their favorite teams and players. 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.”
Mobile Sportsbooks Vetted
Mobile sportsbooks interested in entering the North Carolina market were required to submit their applications by December 27th, and those that did will likely be discussed during the January 4th and 11th meetings of the regulatory bodies responsible for approving them.
The usual suspects likely entering the fray when the mobile launch ultimately occurs are bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel. Sports betting bill HB 347 allows up to a dozen mobile and eight retail sportsbooks in the state to operate.
It was reported in December that the following steps still needed to be taken before the launch:
- Know exactly how many applicants we have for licenses.
- Complete the initial rulemaking process for sports betting.
- Complete background checks on applicants and their key individuals.
- Approve provisional licenses for suppliers.
- Make sure that licensed operators’ proposed internal controls are robust and compliant, and that their key equipment and software have been certified by an independent laboratory.
As of this writing, it would appear as though steps 1 and 2 have been completed and No. 3 is underway. With most of the heavy lifting already done, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if mobile sports betting platforms were taking action before the first tip of the First Four on March 19th!
Calculators
