On June 14, 2023, Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 legalizing online sports wagering and advance deposit horse race wagering. The bill has moved through the legislative process in a little over three months.

Licensing Framework: Online Sports Betting

Under the law, the North Carolina Lottery Commission (the Commission) is authorized to issue up to 12 online sports wagering operator licenses. In the event that more than 12 applications are received, the Commission is empowered to establish selection criteria that will best serve the public interest while maximizing revenue to the state in making its final licensing decisions. Unlike the online betting operator licenses in most other U.S. jurisdictions, these licenses are not tethered to any retail gambling site (i.e., casino, horse racetrack, stadium, etc.). That said, the law does allow licensed online sports wagering operators to enter into partnerships with “sports facilities” (i.e., stadiums, baseball fields) to create a single designated place at said facility where patrons may place online bets at terminals, kiosks, or the like. The law also allows operators to enter into agreements with “sports governing bodies” (i.e., NFL, NHL, NBA, etc.) allowing those governing bodies to share in the revenue from bets placed on their sporting events. continue reading