
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission has set a date for the debut of legal sports betting, according to a WCCB local news report. The state will open its regulated sports wagering market March 11 at noon.
Starting March 1, operators in North Carolina will allow players to register for online accounts. The market will first allow players to place wagers on their mobile devices and will later accept in-person betting on a case-by-case basis, according to the local report.
Commission Chair Ripley Rand briefly discussed the upcoming market debut with local news.
He commented, “The plan approved today means that North Carolinians will be able to place bets on their favorite teams in many of this year’s college basketball conference tournaments, including men’s tournaments in the ACC, Conference USA, the MEAC, and the AAC, as well as throughout the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments.
“Bets on sporting events have been made for as long as those events have taken place, but this time they will be legal, they will be done securely and fairly, and they will be made under rules designed to encourage responsible gaming.”
State regulators have also moved forward to make play instant lottery games available to the public.
Once the market is established, the Lottery Commission will be permitted to award up to 12 licenses to operators statewide. Players would then have access to online and mobile betting, as well as in-person wagering.
Lobbyists around the state are encouraging legislators to add iGaming to the list of legal gambling options for North Carolina players, which would allow players access to online casino games through their mobile devices.