An effort to legalize mobile North Carolina sports betting surprisingly failed in 2022, when legislation was defeated by a single vote in the state House of Representatives.
Since then, it has been expected that the effort would be revived in the current session of the state General Assembly.
Now, proponents of such legislation hope that the introduction of a new online sports gambling bill is imminent. If it were to happen, expect major national sports betting operators to jump in quickly, likely meaning that BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars and more should be available.
Gov. Cooper Expresses Optimism For Betting Bill
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper voiced optimism about the chances for such legislation in 2023 while speaking at a Carolina Hurricanes fan event late last week. On Saturday, the Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 4-1 in the first NHL Stadium Series game held in Raleigh at Carter-Finley Stadium, the home of North Carolina State football.
Reports have indicated that a bill could be filed as early as this week.
“You know, I think it’s going to pass from what I hear,” Cooper said regarding online sports wagering legislation. “We’re working with trying to make sure we get good legislation that is fair to the taxpayers but also recognizes something that’s going on anyway. So, we might as well get benefit for our schools and for our state out of it. So, we’ll see how it goes.”
Some legislators might have been wary of voting in favor of making online North Carolina sports betting apps legal and regulated, out of concerns over backlash from constituents who oppose gambling as a general rule.
Survey Shows Residents Favor Sports Betting
However, a recent public opinion survey regarding North Carolina sports betting indicated not only that people prefer to have sports gambling that’s legal and regulated, but that a lawmaker’s vote on the subject has little bearing on a voter’s likelihood to vote for or against the politician.
On the question of whether gaming issues would have an impact on their support for a candidate, 52% said flatly they “don’t care.” And if it did impact support for a candidate, those who said “more” or “less” were almost evenly divided.
Gaming is not a deciding factor in choosing candidates, the poll indicated. However, what can be accomplished with extra revenue that gambling can generate represents a range of interests that can move voters.
The survey was conducted by a Raleigh-based polling, consultancy and policy analysis firm called Differentiators.
Current Sports Betting at Tribal Casinos Only
Though there is no online sports betting presently in North Carolina, there is in-person retail wagering at sportsbooks at two Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians casinos in the western part of the state, and at the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, owned by the Catawba Nation. The Two Kings Casino is about 30 miles west of Charlotte.
If mobile sports betting becomes a reality in the state, check with us at BetCarolina for the best NC sportsbook promo codes to get top-notch introductory deals.
