There was plenty of news from Wednesday’s North Carolina State Lottery Commission meeting. Unfortunately, none of it included a launch date for NC online sports betting.
That milestone date is still very much in question. However, we do know that two more prospective operators have completed applications to do business in the state, and a pair of test labs were given approval by the governing body.
No “go-live” date for online sports betting in North Carolina
Onlookers were optimistic that Wednesday’s meeting would include information on when North Carolina online sports betting will be available. Unfortunately, the meeting concluded without any announcements being made by the Commission.
We know that North Carolinians won’t be able to participate in Super Bowl 58 betting. The next major sports betting event is the 2024 NCAA basketball tournament. That tips off in mid-March, and while Gov. Roy Cooper has said a launch by then is a goal, he’s stopped short of offering promises or guarantees in that regard.
HB 347, the legislation Gov. Cooper signed in June of 2023, states that NC online sports betting must go live by June 14, 2024. Its earliest possible launch date was this past Monday, which regulators quickly deemed impossible due to the legwork necessary to establish the industry’s framework.
Two more operator applicants revealed, two labs approved
Two tribes have submitted completed North Carolina online sports betting applications. The Catawba Nation and Cherokee Tribe filed paperwork after the suggested deadline of Dec. 27, 2023.
That brings the total number of applicants to date up to nine:
- bet365
- BetMGM NC
- Catawba Nation
- Cherokee Tribe
- DraftKings NC
- ESPN Bet
- Fanatics Sportsbook NC
- FanDuel NC
- Underdog Fantasy
At Wednesday’s meeting, Sterl Carpenter, the state’s deputy director of sports betting, said operators who submit completed applications from this point forward may or may not be able to do business on the first day of North Carolina online sports betting operations.
In addition, the Commission approved both Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) and BMM Testlabs, following recommendations from the North Carolina Sports Betting Committee. These labs will evaluate gaming equipment for compliance with NC sports betting rules and regulations.