Expansion of legal sports betting in North Carolina took two steps forward Tuesday and is headed to the full Senate for possible approval. HB 347 would allow statewide mobile wagering in a state that made it legal in 2020 for tribal casinos to offer betting at brick-and-mortar facilities.
It appears the bill could get a second reading on the Senate floor as soon as Wednesday and a vote as soon as Thursday. Should North Carolina’s Senate approve the bill, it would have to go back to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments.
The House approved the bill, 64-45, in March. If the House concurs on the Senate changes, Gov. Roy Cooper would have 30 days to act on it.
So far in 2023, Kentucky is the only state where lawmakers have newly legalized wagering.
A week after North Carolina senators added a provision to the bill that would allow for historical horse racing, that provision was stripped Tuesday. In its march through the Senate, committees have added language to increase the tax rate, ban operators from deducting promotional play, and change the date on which wagering would go live.
Up to 12 platforms would be allowed
The current bill, passed through Tuesday by both the Senate Finance and Rules committees, would allow for up to 12 digital platforms and set the tax rate at 18% of adjusted gross revenue.
The original text of the bill called for a launch date of Jan. 8, 2024, but the Finance Committee amended that Tuesday morning to provide that betting should go live up to 12 months “after the act becomes law.” The language leaves room for the regulator to launch betting ahead of the 12-month deadline, but also gives it a full year to promulgate rules and license operators.
Another key change from the House bill is that the current measure would allow for up to eight tethered licenses and leave the opportunity for four standalone mobile licenses. Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte), Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, PNC Arena in Raleigh, Quail Hollow Country Club, Sedgefield Country Club, Spectrum Center (Charlotte), and WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary) could all apply for retail locations and digital platforms.
There was little discussion of the bill in either committee Tuesday, though representatives from religious and family-first groups appeared at both, asking the committees to halt the forward march of sports betting.
“I keep hoping I will draw lightning from above and convince” someone not to do this, Mark Creech of the Christian Action League testified while raising concerns about problem gambling issues.
But in both committees, the bill passed easily. HB 347 does include $1 million for responsible gambling initiatives.
