House Panel Advances Sports Betting Bills in North Carolina

All eyes on North Carolina as the House Judiciary 1 Committee there has approved two sports betting bills with a legislative deadline looming on June 30.

What You Need to Know About Sports Betting in North Carolina

• A main sticking point in getting legislation passed involved what was deemed as too low a tax rate.  The House bill has now been amended to raise the tax from 8% to 14%.
• The Senate would still have to agree with the new language in the House bill.
• While there are plenty of critics in both caucuses, supporters believe they have enough votes to pass the measure this session, which is slated to end June 30 for the year. 
• If the bills are signed into law as-is, legalized sports betting via one's mobile phones can begin Jan. 1.

There is little in the way of any restrictions when it comes to wagering.  Youth sports appear to be the only exception.  In other words, no betting on the Little League Championship. Those under the age of 21 would be unable to place bets.

Currently North Carolina allows sports gambling only on the premises of two tribal casinos.  One of those sportsbooks operates at the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort, and the other is Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel.

Whether there is enough opposition remains to be seen.

"I think we're going way too fast," Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham, a former U.S. Olympic swimmer who worked in NCAA enforcement, told WRAL News before Tuesday's hearing. She is not a member of the committee. "If we maybe took a step at looking at the big sports facilities having in-person betting. But to suddenly put it on everyone's mobile phone, to have access to instant wagering every 10 seconds on different aspects of sports, I just think it's a bad idea."

Governor Roy Cooper views sports wagering in the state as favorable and is expected to sign any measure that lands on his desk.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com