(The Center Square) – North Carolina’s Lottery Commission has until June to implement sports wagering, though the crescendo of football season and March Madness have many hoping it could happen as early as Jan. 1.
That could be long odds.
The commission will meet Wednesday to offer an update on the various moving pieces involved in the launch, and is expected to approve contracts for implementation and a new licensing portal.
The agenda includes a sports betting update from Sterl Carpenter, a former regulator with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission hired by the commission in July to serve as deputy executive director of gaming compliance and sports betting.
The commission in August issued a request for proposals for a new licensing portal to allow operators to submit applications, and reviewed product demonstrations in mid-September. The commission has not revealed details about that process, but set Wednesday as a deadline for selecting a contractor.
Carpenter, who helped to successfully launch online sports betting in Massachusetts in March, said last week the commission would need “rapid implementation” of the software to hit the June deadline. Work will begin immediately after securing a contractor, said Carpenter, who did not provide a timeline for when the portal would go live.
The commission is also slated to take action on an amended contract with Gaming Labs International, which won a bid in August to provide implementation services and develop a responsible gaming program that will allow for self-exclusion.
The company’s initial contract of $149,000 will increase by $422,000 to $571,500 for the year. Lottery officials explained last week the initial contract was for “base services,” with the increase for additional services including advanced deposit wagering licensure, evaluation of internal control review standards, and professional development and training.
Tweaks to the sports wagering law included in the state budget approved last week shifted from a cap of “no more than 12 interactive sports wagering operators” to a system that would require a “written designation agreement” with sports teams and facility owners. It is unclear whether the change will increase or decrease the number of sports betting licenses available.
North Carolina, without a major professional team sport franchise until 1988, is home to the NFL Carolina Panthers, NHL Carolina Hurricanes and NBA Charlotte Hornets. The top NASCAR auto racing series runs at two tracks; soccer’s MLS Charlotte FC and NWSL’s North Carolina Courage play in Charlotte and Cary, respectively; and golf’s pro tours, the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens, and marque international competitions, such as the Presidents Cup in 2022 and the Ryder Cup in 1951, have been played on the soil of the Old North State.
The law provides an avenue for teams and venues to get retail sportsbooks.
The legislative fiscal analysis released at the end of May estimated revenue from the sports betting tax at $64.6 million in fiscal year 2024-25, growing to $100.6 million in 2027-28. Various entities have offered estimates that differ.
