- North Carolina Senators Jim Perry and Paul Lowe have sponsored Senate Bill 688 which could bring online sports betting sites and betting venues to NC.
- The bill would permit 12 online licenses in North Carolina as well as the potential to open up betting sites inside the stadiums of the state’s professional teams.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The ongoing battle for regulated sports betting received another step in the right direction this week, this time from the state of North Carolina.
North Carolina Senators Jim Perry and Paul Lowe have officially sponsored and filed Senate Bill 688, which could bring online and physical betting to North Carolina and its residents.
The bill would allow for 12 online licenses to be awarded to retailers to move into the state of North Carolina.
This means that major platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, MGM, and more would be able to open up online gambling sites available to North Carolina residents and visitors.
The bill states that sports betting platforms would also be able to open in certain sports facilities with capacities of more than 17,000 people.
This means that fans of the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, and Carolina Hurricanes could soon be able to place live sports bets in person at physical venues or kiosks located within the stadium.
The bill would also potentially allow for fans in the stadium to bet from their mobile phones instead of using the on-site computer terminals.
This bill would be a huge move for NC, as the state just brought regulated sports betting to its Native American-owned casinos in late 2019.
Currently, there are two sportsbooks open in North Carolina operated and owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Native Americans.
This was a groundbreaking move at the time that has so far been met with widespread acclaim. While the effects of the coronavirus pandemic have slowed down the traffic to these USA online sportsbooks, the influx of betting options will only bolster the growing betting culture within NC.
The new law would also mean more tax money for the state of North Carolina.
Specifically, 8% of betting revenue would be collected by the NC Education Lottery Commission which puts money towards school funding and economic development.
Senator Perry estimates that this profit could be upwards of $50 million in annual revenue for the state.
While there are still international online sportsbooks options in North Carolina, this would see the state beginning to cut into a piece of that profit.