Sports Anchor

Written by WRAL Sports Anchor Brian Murphy.

Betting on sports via mobile devices will commence prior to the ACC men’s basketball tournament.

On Wednesday, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission unanimously approved the implementation of mobile sports betting on March 11 at noon. Starting on March 1, North Carolina residents can create and deposit funds into their accounts through approved operators.

Sterl Carpenter, the deputy executive director of gaming compliance and sports betting, stated that they are announcing their preparedness for sports betting to the public. He added that it is now the responsibility of operator applicants to demonstrate their ability to fulfill the standards set by the General Assembly and the commission.

The ACC men’s basketball tournament starts on March 12 in Washington, D.C., which is two days after the regular-season finale between No. 12 Duke and No. 3 North Carolina. This location also allows for mobile sports betting, which is legal.

Several conferences hold their tournaments at the same time as the ACC men’s tournament, which also includes other North Carolina universities. The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments begin in late March.

Ripley Rand, the chair of the commission, stated after the vote that bets on sporting events have been placed for as long as those events have existed. However, this time they will be conducted legally, with safety and fairness in mind, and following rules aimed at promoting responsible gaming.

Horse racing and physical betting will be unavailable on March 11.

The directory of authorized operators will be published on ncgaming.gov.

The commission was required to start offering mobile sports betting by June 15, as mandated by state law. However, they had previously stated that it would not be available on Jan. 8, the first day permitted by the law, or by the time of the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.

After several years of work, legislators in the state passed a bill in June that allows for mobile sports betting and some on-site sportsbooks. Governor Roy Cooper, who supports legalizing sports betting, signed the legislation in Charlotte.

The legislation tasked the lottery commission with carrying out the law, establishing guidelines and protocols for sports betting, and determining when it would officially begin. The commission selected Carpenter, an experienced professional in the gaming industry, to manage North Carolina’s sports betting sector.

Nine companies have applied to offer sports betting in the state. They must turn in their proposed internal rules for the commission to review by Friday. The commission has stated that online sports betting will begin before in-person betting at designated locations.

Operators are required to reach an agreement with specific in-state teams, leagues, or facilities in order to obtain a license.

Operator agreements

Teams: Operator
Charlotte Hornets: bet365
Approved

The Fanatics Sportsbook has been approved for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Carolina Panthers have not yet made an announcement.

The NC Courage team has not released any official statements or announcements.

The unveiling of Charlotte FC has not been announced.

Facilities: Operator
Quail Hollow Club: Bet ESPN (PENN Entertainment)
Sedgefield Country Club: Underdog Sports

BetMGM at Charlotte Motor Speedway

The announcement for North Wilkesboro Speedway has not been made.

Governing bodies: Operator
PGA Tour: FanDuel
NASCAR: DraftKings

The Catawba and Eastern Band of Cherokee Nations, who operate sportsbooks at their North Carolina casinos, have submitted requests for licenses.

Source: wralsportsfan.com