North Carolina sports betting launch garners positive feedback; regulatory updates underway

North Carolina's foray into sports betting has begun on a promising note, with a seamless launch and positive feedback from all eight operators since they went live on March 11.

Sterl Carpenter, the Deputy Executive Director of Gaming Compliance and Sports Betting, provided a comprehensive update during the recent meeting of the Sports Betting Committee of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. He highlighted the auspicious beginning of sports betting in the state, expressing optimism about its future trajectory.

Carpenter stated: "Sports betting has just begun, and we think that it has gotten off on a very positive note." He emphasized the encouraging volume of wagers placed thus far and hinted at forthcoming details to be shared with the committee and commission in due course.

BetCarolina's insights shed light on the burgeoning interest among North Carolinians in sports betting, with approximately one in six residents intending to engage in weekly betting activities, as revealed by a survey conducted by the website.

Furthermore, the survey unveiled that 15% of North Carolina residents are already actively participating in sports betting, while an additional 14% are crossing state lines to Tennessee or Virginia to place their bets. The website also projects that over $6.4 billion could be wagered by residents this year on sports betting.

In a forward-looking move, the Sports Betting Committee approved the initiation of the rulemaking process on the third set of wagering rules and issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

The proposed rules encompass several key updates, such as the transition from "Wagering Lounge" to "Wagering Facility," the establishment of criteria for discipline or denial based on returned/insufficient payments, and the implementation of international criminal history record checks triggered by residency.

Moreover, the rules address compliance with NCDOR requirements, conflict of interest for hearing officers, and the requirement for authorized financial institutions to hold reserves.

Two new proposed rules have been introduced, one of which establishes a deadline for licensees to respond to formal letters of inquiry from the commission, while the other addresses the inspection of wagering facilities. 

These proposed updates and provisions are slated to take effect 30 days after the commission's adoption, with a public comment period open until April 19.

Stakeholders are encouraged to actively participate in the public comment process, which can be facilitated through various channels, including attendance at the scheduled public hearing on April 9 or submission of comments via web form or email to [email protected].