North Carolina Mobile Sports Betting Launch Date Unchanged Following NCLC Approval
With the launch of sports betting in North Carolina set for March 11, sports fans in the state have been anxiously watching as the final regulatory hurdles are cleared.
A big one was cleared during Wednesday's North Carolina State Lottery Commission (NCLC) meeting when action items were approved in three areas: voluntary self-exclusion programs, proposed compliance forms, and the tribal gaming enterprise agreement.
And what does this mean for North Carolina bettors hoping to place bets in March? It means we're still on track for that March 11 launch.
"We are continuing to make significant strides toward putting all the different pieces together and being prepared for the successful launch of sports wagering on March 11. I want to thank everybody who’s been working hard to make all of this happen."
- Ripley Rand, NCLC Chair
Most sportsbooks still do not have their official licenses to operate in the state, but at this point it seems like it may just be a formality and a matter of waiting for the process to be finished. There are eight applicants reportedly working with lottery staff to be licensed for that March launch, and all of them have made various in-state betting partnerships.
Those eight sportsbooks are as follows:
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- Caesars Sportsbook
- Bet365
- Underdog
- Fanatics
- ESPN Bet
It's important to note that these books are not yet approved to start taking wagers on March 11, so it will be important to continue following the news. At this point, everything is still fluid and unofficial, but today's news that everything is still on track for a March 11 launch is a great sign of optimism that things will continue progressing as expected toward a launch.