Sports gambling in North Carolina has been legitimate for over a year now, but residents' legal ways to bet on sports are not possible. Since Governor Cooper signed SB 154, transitioning the bill into law in July 2019, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians gained rights to run bookmakers at their two gaming clubs. A poll from ACJ.com showed a good environment from voters to include sports gambling into the ballot. Timeline 2019/02 Bill HR380 introduced 2019/03 Bill HB570 introduced 2020/02 Bill SB403 filled.
Sports betting in North Carolina has been legal for more than a year – there’s just no way to legally place a bet in the state.
Gov. Roy Coopersigned SB 154 into law in July 2019. The bill lets the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians operate sportsbooks at their two casinos.
That isn’t the only time Cooper needs to sign off on sports betting though. The new law required an amended tribal compact that included NC sports betting details approved first by Cooper and then by the Department of the Interior.
After delays from the coronavirus pandemic, the Cherokee’s Tribal Council finally approved those necessary amendments last week, according to the Cherokee One Feather.
Despite the step forward, it looks like sports betting in North Carolina has a better chance of its first major event being March Madness than the Super Bowl.
North Carolina sports betting timeline
Without Cooper’s signature on the amended tribal compact, it’s a bit difficult to predict when sports betting could start in North Carolina. There’s no indication from Cooper’s office when that signature might come, regional VP of marketing for Harrah’s CherokeeBrian Saunooke told LSR.
Whenever that signature does come, another waiting game begins. The Department of the Interior has a 45-day window to approve the changes to the compact.
There’s been no indication that timeframe will be shortened, Saunooke added. The compact will be official once published in the Federal Register.
Sportsbooks ready to go
The construction of both sportsbooks at the two casinos is complete, Saunooke confirmed. Some of the key employees for the operations have also been identified already.
Saunooke declined to discuss who will supply the Cherokee with sports betting. It might not be that big of a secret, though.
Sport Gambling Timeline
The Cherokee operate their two casinos under a licensing agreement for the Harrah’s brand with Caesars. Caesars recently agreed to purchase William Hill, which will operate sports betting at all Caesars properties.
The sportsbooks are also simply known as The Book, which is the standard name for Caesars-operated books across the company’s portfolio.
No mobile sports betting in North Carolina
Unfortunately for many in North Carolina, placing a bet won’t be that easy.
The two Harrah’s Cherokee locations are a bit out of the way from the state’s major cities. Both casinos are located on the southwestern edge of the state, meaning it might be easier for some to take advantage of mobile sports betting in Tennessee than it would be to drive to either casino.
Those in the northern part of North Carolina, meanwhile, could do their sports betting in Virginia. The state is prepared to license and launch its mobile sports betting industry in January.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina, is about two hours south of Knoxville, Tennessee and three hours from Charlotte. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in Murphy, NC, is right about two and a half hours south of Knoxville and two hours north of Atlanta, Georgia.
A preliminary schedule drafted by the state lottery suggests Virginia sports betting could start by late December.
That would put sportsbook operators launching at prime time for customer acquisition: the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl. The first playoff game is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2021.
Virginia became the second state to approve sports betting this year, following Washington state.
The timeline seems ambitious for a state with no gambling outside of the lottery, but regulators are required to move forward. The enabling legislation, HB 896 and SB 384, call for regulations to be completed by September 15.
Schedule for Virginia sports betting rollout
The Lottery Board will meet July 15 for the first discussion on regulating Virginia sports betting, according to the lottery’s sports betting page. That’s because the legislation doesn’t go into effect until July 1.
Through mid-August, the board will listen to public commentary concerning proposed regulations.
The board won’t have much time to consider public input because the rules must be finalized by mid-September. The first applications will be accepted later that month.
The board then will have 90 days to consider whether it will approve an application. That means the first operators approved should be live by the end of 2020.
The lottery’s sports betting FAQ mentions no sports betting will be legal “before mid-to-late December, at the earliest.”
Operator costs will be hot topic
One of the recommended changes by Gov. Ralph Northam could raise application costs by as much as $1 million for some sportsbook operators. Northam called for an additional $50,000 per principal of the company.
Sports Gambling Timeline
The bill defines as anyone with 5% ownership and “any individual who is employed in a managerial capacity for a sports betting platform on behalf of a permit holder.”
That’s on top of the $250,000 licensing fee for a three-year license.
Del. Mark Sickles and Sen. Jeremy McPike, sponsors of the legislation, mentioned operators balked at the change. There could be an attempt to narrow who is ultimately included under the principal definition, Sickles said.
Casinos get preferred treatment
There are five important votes coming up this fall in Virginia that could determine how many untethered licenses are available. The regulations allow for at least four to a maximum of 12.
Casino legislation also passed this year, authorizing up to five casinos throughout the state. Those casinos are pending local referendums this November.
If all five casinos pass and want to offer sports betting, that would leave just seven licenses for untethered operators. Those licenses will not count toward the minimum, however, meaning there will be at least four untethered licenses allowed in the state.
The lottery board will make a decision on how many untethered licenses are best for the state.
There could be other sports betting licenses awarded to either a major league sports team or the operator of a major league sports facility. Those would not be counted toward any license totals.
More VA sports betting details
Virginia’s sports betting legislation is a mixed bag.
Untethered operators and remote registration are positives. The 15% tax rate will come out slightly lower for operators as it’s based on adjusted gross revenue, which allows operators to exclude the 0.25% of handle from the federal excise tax.
More questionable elements include the required use of official league data to settle all in-play bets.
The ban on in-state college betting is also a negative that will lead to a smaller overall market.