The legalization of the online sports betting market may not happen this year. This builds on the last discussions and the failure to strongly push for a way forward. It is unlikely that North Carolina will extend the segment. Tim Moore, the state’s House Speaker, has suggested that this is majorly because of last year’s impasse, adding that it has put a shadow over discussions.
Tim had earlier backed Phil Berger in his attempt to add a casino amendment to the budget bill for 2023-2025 in the last fall. That would have allowed for the creation of gaming licenses for many counties in the state. The approval would have given licenses to The Cordish Company, responsible for running LIVE!-branded casinos. Their operations are majorly based in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Adding weight to his discussion, Tim has said that the bill would have enabled the company to retain the annual revenue within the state instead of allowing it to leak to other operators out of North Carolina. Estimates state that this would have generated almost $1 billion in annual revenue for the Tar Heel State.
Public opinion is to have the extension of casino legalization; however, House Republicans are split.
Berger has withdrawn his support for the bill as it was unable to gain sufficient momentum this year. He has not completely denied it, though, saying that if authorities finally decide to pick, he may again back the amendment.
Online sports betting in North Carolina commenced operations in March 2024. It has noted significant growth since then, with bets over $1.3 billion. Operators reportedly banked revenue worth $650 million in April and $659 million in March. Operators have given away almost $200 million in promotional bets and bonuses. Gross Wagering Revenue came to $105.3 million in April. North Carolina houses some of the best sports betting sites USA. This includes ESPN Bet, DraftKings, and Bet365, to mention a few.
Some of the issues that are known to hold the development of online offerings are concerns about physical venues and gambling addiction.
Physical venues often come forward saying that the presence of legalized online offerings affects their revenue and, hence, the workforce. While online operators have defended themselves by counter-arguing that it is all a part of the competition, there is a significant refusal on their part to accept that statement. The factor of gambling addiction is rather important as online offerings serve as a casino in every pocket through their presence on mobile devices.
States introspect the approval as it contributes to their tax revenues. North Carolina may not have legalized casino expansion this year. It could still have that milestone achieved in the next year. Public opinion around it remains strong, and operators are eager to expand their footprints.
