North Carolina mobile sports betting could go live in time for March Madness

Mobile sports betting in North Carolina could launch by the end of February, according to media reports. After a December 27th deadline for filing applications, seven operators have registered for sports betting licenses in the state, with the North Carolina Lottery Commission continuing to accept applications, potentially seeking to authorize a dozen mobile operators.

The state’s lottery officials are yet to share an official launch date for legal North Carolina sports betting apps. However, the go-live date will likely come before March Madness begins on March 19th.

There is a 60-day timeline which allows companies time to familiarize themselves with North Carolina laws and regulations, which means that legal betting will not likely be in play for the Super Bowl, slated to occur on February 11th, 2024. 

The lottery’s staff is currently compiling and organizing the application information from operators, service providers, and suppliers. The staff will then assess applications and determine if the applicants are suitable for approval. The Commission has until June 15th to launch mobile sports betting in the state, although that is likely to happen before that date.

"North Carolinians love basketball season and are looking forward to betting to the chance to bet on their favorite teams and players," Commission spokesman Van Denton said in a statement to WRAL. "With all the progress that has been made, the Commission expects to be in a position soon to announce when sports betting can begin in North Carolina."

The statement is in line with previous remarks by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. “The goal is to get it out there before March Madness,” he said in a recent Ovies and Giglio radio interview. “No guarantee that that’s the case, but I think that is the goal.”

The Commission's sports betting committee has scheduled a meeting for January 4th, following which the full Commission is scheduled to meet on January 11th.

Seven operators applied for North Carolina betting licenses

As of now, seven mobile sports betting operators have applied for North Carolina licenses. The operators include bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel and Underdog Sports Betting. These operators are expected to have earlier access to the state’s market to offer sports betting apps. 

Meanwhile, Caesars Sportsbook has applied as a service provider in the state rather than an operator. Caesars is expected to launch in the state in partnership with tribal casinos, which currently operate retail sportsbooks in the state. However, no official announcement has been made yet. 

ESPN BET is partnering with Quail Hollow Club, a PGA Tour venue. FanDuel is also in an existing partnership with the PGA Tour for mobile access in the Tar Heel State. 

Fanatics and bet365 have also announced partnerships to secure mobile market access. While Fanatics Sportsbook has partnered with the Carolina Hurricanes, bet365 has teamed up with the Charlotte Hornets. BetMGM, DraftKings, and Underdog have yet to announce official partnerships for market access. 

Underdog, which currently operates as Underdog Fantasy across several states including North Carolina, has yet to launch its sportsbook in any state. However, the company has teased a sports betting product in recent years and could also launch in North Carolina along with others early in 2024.