Bills that could see the legalization of online sports wagering in North Carolina made progress in the legal pipelines recently. Two bills were approved by lawmakers, as the current legislative session is at the stage of winding down.
Minor adjustments were made to two sports betting bills by the House Judiciary 1 Committee. The first change made is that betting on amateur sports is prohibited, and the amount of money that needs to be directed to problem gambling treatment each year was doubled to $2 million.
After the amendments, six lawmakers voted in favor, while three voted against them. One lawmaker abstained.
The current status of legal sports betting in North Carolina is that it is allowed in physical casinos. Two Cherokee-run casinos in the state’s western region accept sports bets.
Senate Bill 38 calls for sports betting operators to pay a 14% tax on gross wagering revenue (minus winnings paid out).
The bill allows betting on professional, college and electronic sports. Betting on youth sports (with participants being younger than 18 years of age or competing on behalf of schools) will not be allowed.
Industry analysts believe that the earliest date that online sports betting will go live in North Carolina is January 2023.
