The law allowing online sports in the state of Tar Heel has done the same for mutual horse racing, the launch of which has yet to be determined.
The launch of online sports betting in the Tar Heel State does not mark the end of the work of North Carolina regulators, who will have to continue to monitor operators while also turning to horse racing and new retail betting facilities.
Mobile sports betting in North Carolina officially began on Monday, with 8 licensed operators agreeing to the action.
North Carolina is now the 30th state to launch sportsArray online and there are signs that it will be a vital market for sports operators.
Still, there’s still a long way to go for the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. A spokesperson for the regulator told Covers on Thursday that it would continue to review licensing programs (such as the pending one at Catawba Two Kings Casino), compliance with law and rules, and agreements with operators to make faulty gaming systems work as intended.
The law allowing online sports in North Carolina did the same for pari-mutuel betting on horse races.
Although the game of kings is no longer the same game it was 50 years ago, it still has many enthusiasts and unwavering bettors, and betting operators have embraced ponies as another valuable product they can offer their customers. For example, DraftKings and FanDuel now have independent horse racing platforms.
The two Caesars sportsbooks at the two Harrah’s Cherokee casinos in North Carolina will offer limited features for horse racing, such as Kentucky Derby futures, matchups or whether a horse will win the Triple Crown. However, apps like TwinSpires, TVG, and DK horses still have an advertising license in the state.
Van Denton, director of communications for the Lottery Commission, noted that the regulator has already done something about pari-mutuel betting.
“Among other things, they hired an experienced implementing partner; met with peer regulators from other states and the state veterinarian from North Carolina; and followed the governance and licensing regulations applicable to sports betting and pari-mutuel betting,” Denton said in an email.
Lottery Commission staff will now request more data from operators and other stakeholders, compare other models of what a new betting industry will look like in North Carolina and compare the conceivable economic effects of various regulatory approaches, Denton said.
By law, regulators had until mid-June of this year to publish mobile sports in North Carolina, and they completed that feat 3 months before that date. But unlike sportsArray, there is no legal deadline for the launch of mutual horse racing.
This can cause some inflammation in North Carolina’s long-term horse players. The Kentucky Derthrough, arguably the biggest race of the year, is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. However, Denton said it is “not yet determined” whether pari-mutuel betting would be legally in place until then.
There are several hurdles that long-term licensees must overcome before they can begin adding North Carolina action to their horse racing groups. First, there is an application fee of $1 million for an advance deposit license. Licensees will also be required to pay an annual payment to the lottery commission equal to 1% of all pari-mutuel bets they manage with state citizens.
As with SportsArray, horse racing players will need to be 21 years of age or older to wager. All bets will also be placed in the form of pari-mutuelArray with conversion odds. That’s at least for now, as state lawmakers haven’t allowed any flat rate. odds in horse racing.
The commission is also ready for programs for the status quo and the opening of “public lodging venues,” a term used statewide to refer to retail sports betting sites that would possibly be located at or near professional sports facilities.
North Carolina already has three land-based sportsbooks at the state’s three tribal casinos. Still, it will likely be a while before services start popping up at Charlotte Motor Speedway or PNC Arena.
“The Commission is currently developing a Certificate of Compliance procedure for public facilities,” Denton said. “No applicant operator has officially attempted to submit documents to the Commission pursuant to Rule 1H-001 to propose the opening of an express location for a public accommodation position. “