There still is no set launch date for the statewide launch of North Carolina sports betting. However, officials made it clear Thursday that the ball is in the operators’ court regarding when they could start accepting wagers.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission’s Sports Betting Committee approved a checklist of requirements operators must fulfill in order to go live. Meeting all of those mandates, which appear to be routine and similar to steps required in other states, will enable the state to give operators a certificate of compliance.
NCSLC Deputy Executive Director for Gaming Compliance and Sports Betting Sterl Carpenter told the committee that the operators don’t need to wait for their license applications to be approved to work on those requirements.
“This certificate of compliance is in shorthand way of saying that an operator has demonstrated to the commission that they can meet statutory and regulatory requirements,” Carpenter said. “If an operator can complete the checklist to the satisfaction of the commission, then it can go live and offer and accept wagers in North Carolina. So, this means that an operator’s ability to get to market is in its own hands once it has a license.”
Last month, Gov. Roy Cooper said the goal is to launch North Carolina sports betting before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins in March.
What Operators Need To Do
An approved North Carolina sports betting operator will need to demonstrate the following to receive its certificate of compliance:
- Submitting internal control policies and approval of those by lottery staff
- Receiving lottery approval of their house rules, terms and conditions and privacy policies
- Succeeding in establishing a test account
- Gaining certifications from independent testing laboratories
- Demonstrating the capability to offer daily reports
- Establishing responsible gaming measures
- Reviewing its player account management platforms
- Conducting geolocation testing
- Performing player account checks
- Affirming it does not owe money to the state
- Executing a successful demonstration of its apps and sites
Carpenter said operators will likely need to submit their internal control policies before the end of the month, possibly by Jan. 26.
The lottery received requests for applications from 17 operators, with seven of those submitting their forms by Dec. 27, the commission’s recommended deadline for operators that wish to go live on the state’s launch date. Applications may still be submitted, but Carpenter said staffers cannot guarantee those operators would be approved for the first day of North Carolina sports betting.
Online Sports Betting To Get The Green Light First
Carpenter also told the committee the lottery plans a “tiered launch” for sports betting across the state. Online North Carolina sportsbook apps will go live first, followed by brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. Most states with retail and online sports betting have followed a similar path, although it’s typically brick-and-mortar establishments that are first to open.
“The physical locations will be across the state, and we will expect operators to move at different paces to open their places of operation,” he said.
Brick-and-mortar sportsbooks are already open at the three tribal casinos in North Carolina. The sports betting law passed last summer allows additional in-person facilities to be established at or near stadiums, arenas, racetracks and golf courses where top-level major league events occur.
More information about the North Carolina sports betting launch could be announced when the full Lottery Commission holds its next meeting on Wednesday. Stay with BetCarolina.com for all the best NC sportsbook promo codes as soon as they become available.
