On Monday, North Carolina officially opened the door to online sports betting and several major operators went live. The bill came with several requirements before the launch, all of which were met.
Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law in June last year, and the launch date was established in January 2024. The regulations were published at the beginning of the year, and operators submitted their internal controls before the market opened.
Big Names Lead the Way in North Carolina
To start things off, North Carolina State Lottery Commission sent out eight interactive sports wagering licences, primarily to familiar names. This is the initial round of applications, and the number of operators is expected to rise.
FanDuel and DraftKings were among the first to launch online sports betting in North Carolina and FanDuel welcomes new customers with sign-up promotions. Meanwhile, DraftKings expands its reach to the 27th state in the US. Other major operators who join them include:
- Caesars Entertainment
- Fanatics
- Bet365
- BetMGM
- ESPN Bet
- Underdog
Secured Partnerships Needed to Offer Online Sports Betting
One condition for operators to become active in North Carolina is to partner with a sports team, league, or venue within the state. For example, DraftKings has teamed up with NASCAR. The operator’s North American president Matt Kalish said:
We’re proud to be working alongside NASCAR as our market access partner and look forward to enhancing the fan experience across North Carolina with a fun, safe and seamless sports betting product.
Kalish didn’t hide the excitement for introducing online sports betting to North Carolina. The state is famous for its college basketball and has passionate sports fans across all sports.
As for the other operators, BetMGM joined forces with the Charlotte Motor Speedway, while Fanatics and NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes found common ground. ESPN Bet partnered with golf’s PGA Tour and the Wells Fargo Championship that takes place in the state. Bet365 and NBA’s Charlotte Hornets signed a deal, whereas Underdog penned an agreement with McConnell Golf.
Lastly, companies such as GeoComply, SBTech and Sportradar that deliver sports data to approved operators received sports wagering supplier licences valid for five years.
