North Carolina online sports betting was officially legalized on June 14, 2023. That’s when Gov. Roy Cooper signed HB 347, which stipulated the industry could launch as early as Jan. 8, 2024.
We already know such a launch won’t happen. In addition, the North Carolina Sports Betting Committee confirmed online sports betting in NC won’t be up and running ahead of Super Bowl LVIII in February.
Is there precedent for this sort of a delay? It turns out there is, and it comes from a state just up the East Coast.
NC online sports betting launch somewhat mirrors Maryland’s
Maryland legalized sports betting in mid-2021. A statewide retail launch occurred in December of that year. However, those eagerly awaiting online sports betting in Maryland had to wait until nearly a year later.
Maryland legislation required the Sports Wagering and Applications Review Committee (SWARC) to review a sports wagering industry analysis, which took several months. Initially, SWARC also called for a universal start date for all sportsbooks, rather than rolling approvals as applications came in.
Then-Gov. Larry Hogan was far from pleased with the delays. He took SWARC to task in a June 2022 letter:
“Instead of decisive action to implement the voters’ decision, you have allowed the process to stagnate and become mired in overly bureaucratic procedures that have needlessly delayed the state’s ability to maximize the revenue potential of this emerging industry. Sports fans in Maryland simply want to be able to place bets on their mobile devices—that’s what they voted for, and they are angry and discouraged over SWARC’s inability to make it happen.”
Maryland online sports betting eventually launched with rolling approvals in November 2022, just before Thanksgiving (with very little notice to the general public). However, the delays cost Marylanders the opportunity to bet on most of the 2022-23 NFL and college football seasons.
Those delays didn’t just cost sports bettors
Seth Elkin, the Managing Director of Communications at the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, declined to comment for this piece. However, we can generate inferences and insights from monthly revenue reports available at the agency’s website.
Tax revenue from MD online sports betting goes to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs. In September and October of 2023, Maryland online sports betting operators paid more than $8 million in taxes. By comparison, retail sports betting outlets generated less than $2 million in tax revenue for the state in September and October of 2022.
In short: The delays in launching Maryland sports betting almost certainly cost the state millions of dollars.
So what’s taking so long with NC online sports betting?
Representatives for both Gov. Cooper and the Sports Betting Committee did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this piece. The Committee, though, documents news from its weekly meetings and provides periodic updates on its website.
Applications for North Carolina online sports betting licenses were made available at the start of the month. Operators have been told to submit those by Wednesday, Dec. 27, in order to launch when the industry opens its virtual doors.
After that paperwork is received, the commission will perform background checks and process applications. It has 60 days to do so, in addition to the other legwork necessary to finalize NC online sports betting rules, regulations, and processes.
After Super Bowl LVIII, the next major sports betting event is the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. March Madness is often a boon to sportsbooks nationwide. This would be especially true for North Carolina, given that residents in its neighbor to the north, Virginia, cannot bet on in-state college teams. Launching prior to the tournament would give North Carolina online sports betting a flying start and possibly siphon some tax dollars away from the Commonwealth.
When will NC online sports betting launch?
No formal “go live” date has been announced at this point, though. What’s certain is that the Committee has until June 14, 2024, to launch North Carolina online sports betting. That’s the one-year anniversary of when HB 347 was signed into law.
When the industry does get started, it will likely do so with an array of North Carolina online sports betting promos. Stay tuned to Winners And Whiners for the latest news, updates, and insights.