North Carolina Sports Betting Rules + Applications Update

The North Carolina Lottery Commission met on Wednesday to finalize their sports betting rules and give an update on operator applications.
North Carolina received applications from 14 different sports betting operators but there only can be 11 operators in the state.
The Commission adopted the second set of rules that will go into effect on Jan. 8, 2024.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Wednesday’s North Carolina Lottery Commission meeting finalized the state’s sports betting rules. The regulatory process for North Carolina sports betting continues advancing, with the finalized rules going into effect on Jan. 8, 2024.

There’s still a long way to go before legal sports betting launches in the Tarheel State, but the North Carolina Lottery Commission (NCLC) made big steps towards launching in Wednesday’s meeting. Commission members adopted the latest batch of rules, only amending one paragraph that created issues for many during the public comment period.

Deputy Director of Sports Betting, Sterl Carpenter, made an update that North Carolina received 14 sports betting application requests since opening earlier this month. However, there can only be 11 legal North Carolina sports betting sites since the state requires partnership with a professional sports entity.

Which Three Sports Betting Applicants Will Get Left Out?

FanDuel, ESPN BET, and Bet365 are already in because of their recent partnerships with professional organizations or venues. FanDuel partnered with the PGA Tour, ESPN BET partnered with Quail Hollow Club, and Bet365 partnered with the Charlotte Hornets.

It’s expected that other top legal online sportsbooks like BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and Fanatics Sportsbook will earn a spot. Caesars is already in North Carolina through the two Harrah’s tribal casinos, while BetMGM and DraftKings have expressed interest in offering North Carolina sports betting before.

Fanatics recently became one of three operators in Vermont to offer legal sports betting, adding another state to their fast-growing sports betting brand. Assuming these eight sports betting operators get their applications approved, there will only be three spots remaining for smaller online sportsbooks.

North Carolina Sports Betting Launch Date Still Unknown

North Carolina’s recommended application submission date is Dec. 27, with a launch date potentially coming soon after that. The Sports Betting Committee meets on Jan. 4 and the North Carolina Lottery Commission meets on Jan. 10, so a launch date could be set in either of those meetings.

Commission Chairman Ripley Rand already confirmed that sports betting won’t launch before the Super Bowl, but residents can be optimistic in will launch in time for the March Madness Tournament.

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Zachary Kelley

Zach graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Writing, Editing, and Media. Zach is interested in the legalization aspect of sports betting and enjoys participating in DFS. He has a passion for sports writing and most enjoys writing about football and baseball both professional and collegiate.