Eight sports betting companies received approval from the North Carolina government Thursday, allowing them to accept bets from people in the state from mobile devices and computers within two weeks.
The North Carolina Lottery Commission, which is tasked with overseeing the 2023 law licensing sports gambling, has announced the successful applicants for the first batch of interactive sports betting operator licenses.
The commission had previously announced that the first licensees would be able to begin placing bets at noon on March 11, the day before the start of the Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament. Customers can bet on professional, collegiate, or Olympic-style sports.
In preparation, from noon on Friday, people aged 21 and over will be able to register with the operator, set up an account and deposit money.
Issuing the license “is a major milestone in establishing legal sports betting in North Carolina,” commission Chair Ripley Rand said in a news release.
The commission initially announced seven licensees: BETMGM and Underdog Sports Wagering, as well as companies doing business as FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, bet365 and ESPN BET. Late Thursday, the commission added affiliates of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to its approved list. The group already operates in-person sports betting at two casinos in Western North Carolina.
The commission said an application was also filed related to the Catawba Indian Nation, which also offers in-person sports betting at a casino west of Charlotte.
The new law allows for in-person gambling beyond casinos, but it won't begin immediately. Gambling company applicants were required to enter into contracts with professional teams, certain professional golf and auto racing venues, and governing bodies within the state. Some of these agreements are public.
North Carolina will join the District of Columbia as the 30th state to offer mobile sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association.
The state could tax sports betting and generate more than $100 million a year in revenue within five years, according to a Legislature analysis.
