Retail sports betting has now been approved for regulation in North Carolina

The North Carolina Lottery Commission unanimously approved a certificate of compliance proposal on Wednesday. It will allow state regulators to move forward with the operational process to plan and build retail locations. However, it’s still undetermined where and when retail sports betting will begin. 

To obtain and maintain a compliance certificate in North Carolina, regulators must check several boxes. That includes operators being in good standing with regulators, submitting operational documents, and obtaining lab certification. Additionally, they will host on-site inspections before launch and meet other regulator requirements to open a retail sportsbook. 

Certificates do not include temporary facilities or pari-mutuel wagering. It’s the sportsbook’s responsibility to find a temporary location while a casino is built. There is no state-wide launch date and each sportsbook will open when they’re ready.

Did North Carolina miss out on revenue from not having retail sportsbooks?

Retail sports betting was legalized in North Carolina in 2023. Mobile wagering was far easier and quicker for operators to launch. In March, the Lottery Commission made it a priority to license and regulate operators. While mobile wagering was legalized, lawmakers refused to approve retail locations or adjacent major sports venues. 

That included the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Quail Hollow Golf Club, Bank of America Stadium, and PNC Arena. The 2023 collegiate and NFL season began without North Carolina having any retail sportsbook locations. Over the summer, the state also missed out on possible revenue when major PGA and NASCAR events were happening in NC. 

When it comes to revenue, online sportsbooks blow brick-and-mortar casinos out of the water. However, operators in North Carolina are still eager to open their shops. Given time, retail locations hope to be able to compete with the mobile operators in the state.

How close is North Carolina to esports?

On Wednesday, the North Carolina Lottery Commission unanimously approved an esports guidance and petition proposal. This puts the Tar Heel State closer to offering wagers on those events. Sterl Carpenter is the deputy executive director of Gaming Compliance and Sports Betting at the NC Lottery Commission. He had this to say.

“The petition delves into six sections to get all of the information that will be needed to educate and inform staff on whether an esports event will have enough oversight and security to allow for wagering in the state of North Carolina” – said Carpenter