(The Center Square) – No launch date has been set for legalized sports betting in North Carolina.
The state’s Lottery Commission adjourned its Wednesday meeting having taken action on other matters, just not the one that is paramount to many. The Legislature gave approval during the 2023 session, with a date on or before June 14.
“The idea is to try to get it in place before March Madness,” Gov. Roy Cooper told reporters following Tuesday’s Council of State meeting. “There’s a lot going on at the Lottery Commission to make sure that that process goes the right way.”
Lottery Commission Chairman Ripley Rand said in November there will be no bets on or before the 58th Super Bowl on Feb. 11, and the commission expects to set a launch date “early in the new year.”
The commission has received nine completed applications from potential operators, five from service providers and 20 from suppliers, figures that represent about 44% of requested applications, Sterl Carpenter said in an update Wednesday. Carpenter is deputy director of sports betting.
Officials are now vetting those applications, while forging ahead with the next phase involving construction and submission of operators’ internal controls. The commission unanimously approved four documents on Wednesday to guide that process.
Officials have also compiled a list of activities for operators to secure required certificates of compliance. The list includes approval of internal controls, testing, demonstration of the ability to submit daily reports, a player account management platform review, geolocation testing, demonstration of betting apps, and other items.
“We have been in contact informally with many of the operators about this … process,” Carpenter said. “An operator’s ability to get to market is in its own hands once it gets a license.”
Carpenter said “the certificate of compliance process will be a key to the go live date.”
“Only licensed operators with a certificate of compliance will be allowed to receive bets on apps on Day 1,” he said, adding that no licenses have yet to be awarded.
Officials are anticipating an initial launch for mobile sports wagers on phones and devices, followed by a later launch for brick and mortar locations, Carpenter said.
“This kind of tiered launch … has occurred in other states, as well,” he said.
Other action on Wednesday involved the unanimous approval of two independent testing labs for gaming equipment and compliance: Gaming Labs International and BMM testlabs.
“They’re both very highly qualified … very well regarded in the industry,” Carpenter said.
Legislation signed into law in June allows the Lottery Commission to launch sports betting in North Carolina any time after Jan. 8, with a hard deadline of June 14. Applications are in from FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, Bet365, ESPN Bet, Underdog Sports and operators associated with tribal gaming.
Factors for launch include when supporting information from operators is submitted, and the timing of background, internal control checks, and certifications from testing labs, officials have said.
A legislative fiscal analysis estimated an 18% betting tax will generate $64.4 million next fiscal year, with other estimates ranging from $47 million after three years to $126 million in year one.
