North Carolina online sports betting won’t launch in time for Super Bowl
NCLC commissioner says regulator is “committed” to transparency as swathe of applications to be examined ahead of launch
North Carolina online sports betting will launch after the Super Bowl following confirmation by the North Carolina Lottery Commission (NCLC).
In a meeting on Wednesday, November 29, commissioner Ripley Rand said sports betting in the Tar Heel State will launch after Super Bowl 58, which takes place on February 11.
Sports betting operators and suppliers currently have until December 27 to apply to for a license in the state.
The NCLC said that each application will have a 60-day window for approval and after that, depending on how thorough the application is, the regulator can open a further 30-day window to assess the applications if needed.
Sterl Carpenter, deputy executive director of gaming compliance and sports betting at the NCLC, said the regulator expects to receive “hundreds” of license applications, some of which could include more than 1,000 pages of related documentation.
Rand said a start date could only be given once the state knows how many applications it has to process.
In comments reported by North Carolina television station WITN, Rand said: “We see questions about whether sports betting will be up and running in time for the Super Bowl.
“It’s clear, however, with all the work remaining to be done and the timetable set out in state law, that unfortunately won’t be the case.
“With all the progress we’ve made, we expect to be in a position early in the new year to announce when sports betting can begin in North Carolina.
“Lots of work still needs to be completed. The commission is going to be thoughtful and thorough in its rulemaking. We are committed to being open and transparent in what we do. And we are committed to ensuring fairness for everyone involved,” he added.
North Carolina’s legislation requires the state’s online sports betting market to launch before mid-June 2024.
One operator already eyeing North Carolina market access is bet365, with the operator having penned a deal with Hornets Sports & Entertainment to become the new mobile sports betting partner of the North Carolina-based NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets.