The start of sports betting in North Carolina will not happen on January 8, which was supposed to be the first day for mobile sports betting under the new law. Officials are currently working on finalizing rules and addressing licensing matters.

The North Carolina Lottery Commission has been tasked with overseeing the state’s sports betting industry, and must have it up and running by June 15.

During the commission’s sports betting committee meeting on Tuesday, some members expressed that Jan. 8 is not feasible. They did not specify a different date for starting.

The deputy executive director of gaming compliance and sports betting for the state, Sterl Carpenter, described the various tasks that the commission must complete before gambling can commence. Currently, the commission is not yet open to receiving applications from sports wagering operators.

After the operators have submitted their applications, they will undergo an investigation and internal controls to ensure they are not accepting bets outside of North Carolina or on federal/tribal lands within the state. Additionally, they must provide information about their security and responsible gaming strategies, according to Carpenter. He also noted that this is not an exhaustive list of requirements.

To obtain a license in the state, an operator must have a “written designation agreement” with specific teams, leagues, or facilities. So far, no entity has announced a partnership with a sports betting operator. This requirement was included in the state budget several months after the initial legislation was passed.

At the meeting, Commissioner Ripley Rand inquired Carpenter about whether January 8th would be the initial date for authorization of betting, but it is unlikely to be the authorized date.

Carpenter confirmed, “That is completely accurate.”

Commissioner Cari Boyce expressed appreciation for the clarification that the tasks could not all be completed by January 8th. She noted that daily committee meetings would be necessary to meet the timeline.

Earlier this year, the North Carolina legislature passed a bill that allows for mobile sports betting. In June, Gov. Roy Cooper signed the bill into law.

The committee gave the green light to a wide range of activities that can be gambled on within the state, but operators are not required to offer bets on every single one. Additionally, the committee approved modifications to its initial set of regulations, which included the elimination of its disputed interpretation of “fantasy contests.” This was done in order to facilitate the advancement of the rules and the expeditious continuation of the process.

The complete committee will still need to give their approval for the catalog and modifications.

The board will convene on Thursday to finalize its initial regulations and authorize the initial list of sports and events eligible for betting. Furthermore, the board will introduce its new website, NCGaming.gov. The second set of regulations is currently open for public input, and aims to restrict advertising and ban sports gambling companies from buying naming rights for state sports facilities.

The lottery commission’s spokesman, Van Denton, stated that the commission is still dedicated to making sure that sports betting is implemented efficiently and appropriately as soon as possible. They are currently on track to meet the June 15 deadline set by the law.

Source: wral.com