The anticipation for a legal sports betting launch in North Carolina will likely be determined more by the operators wanting to do business in the Tar Heel State than the regulators.
While no go-live date was announced, the North Carolina Lottery Commission’s sports betting committee met Thursday to outline a list of list of activities that must be completed and agreed upon by sportsbook operators — once their license is approved — to be able to offer wagering.
“This means that an operator’s ability to get to market is in its own hands once it has a license,” said Sterl Carpenter, North Carolina Deputy Executive Director, Gaming and Sports Betting. “With many of the established operator applicants, these requirements will already be familiar. North Carolina is in step with its peers.
“So looking at the big picture, the certification of the compliance process will be a key to the go-live date for sports betting.”
That list includes certification from a testing laboratory, geolocation testing, demonstration of betting apps and sites, among other qualifications, and turning in and receiving approval of their internal controls, among other qualifications.
The North Carolina sports betting committee will update and share recommendations with the N.C. Lottery Commission on Jan. 10, at which time there could be a clearer timeline on the launch date.
Other updates
The committee announced that in-person wagering at brick-and-mortar sportsbooks tied to eight sports venues is likely to start after mobile begins. Carpenter called a “tiered launch” common in many U.S. jurisdictions.
The sports betting committee also said that it’s received 17 operator application requests, with seven previously announced sportsbooks having completed the process.
FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, BetMGM, Fanatics, ESPN BET, and Underdog Fantasy are the first sportsbooks to submit, with Caesars signing up as a supplier because of its partnership with two in-state tribal casinos.
The committee said that any operators, suppliers, or providers looking to do business in the Tar Heel State that didn’t meet the Dec. 27 deadline might not be approved by the time when sports betting goes live.
Requirements, testing lab approvals
The committee approved internal controls submission requirements, a technical process operators must adhere to for wagering privileges in the Tar Heel State.
The committee also agreed to recommend Gaming Laboratories International and BMM Testlabs to the commission to be approved for North Carolina. Carpenter said many operators will be familiar with these third-party testing companies, which will make sure sportsbooks, suppliers, and providers meet the needed requirements to operate.
