Sports betting won't start in North Carolina before Super Bowl
Posted November 29, 2023 2:35 p.m. EST
Updated November 30, 2023 10:47 a.m. EST
Sports bettors in North Carolina won't be able to legally bet on the 2024 Super Bowl in the state from their mobile devices.
North Carolina Lottery Commission chairman Ripley Rand made the announcement at the end of Wednesday's commission meeting.
The commission previously announced that sports betting would not go live on Jan. 8, the first date allowed by North Carolina's sports betting law. The commission has until June 14 to launch sports betting in the state.
The Super Bowl is Feb. 11.
"One question I know I have gotten a number of times and I'm sure other commissioners have gotten is whether sports betting will be up and running in time for the Super Bowl," Rand said. "While the commission is committed to making sports betting available in an effective manner as quickly as we can, with all the remaining work to be done, that unfortunately will not be the case. We hope to be able to announce a day in the near future about when sports betting will go live in North Carolina."
The commission approved application forms for operators at its meeting Wednesday. The first deadline for applications, which are expected to become available later this week, is Dec. 27.
The commission has 60 days from that date to perform background checks and other work on the applicants. That can be extended by an additional 30 days.
"We're asking our future sports wagering operators to complete and submit their applications to the commission by December 27th," said Sterl Carpenter, who is in charge of sports betting for the lottery. "In doing so, their applications can start the 60-day window for licensure approval and they would be able to be considered for our go-live date."
Sports wagering operators in North Carolina must obtain a "written designation agreement" from certain sports teams, leagues or facilities in order to apply for a license. The feature was added to state law in the budget several months after the original gambling law was passed.
The Charlotte Hornets announced Bet365 will be their official mobile sports betting partner. Other franchises, leagues or venues are expected to announce their partnerships with operators soon.
Sports betting is currently legal at three tribal casinos in the western part of the state.
