A mobile sports betting launch in North Carolina is expected to begin somewhere between March and June. However, before a sportsbook can go live, it must partner with a professional sports franchise, organization, venue, or PGA Tour golf course, and to that end, BetMGM recently announced its respective partnership in the Tar Heel State.
Start Your Engines
Auto racing is hugely popular in North Carolina, therefore, it’s not surprising that the heavy hitter in the world of online sportsbooks aligned with an iconic name in the motor racing industry. BetMGM reached an agreement with Charlotte Speedway.
“We have been eagerly awaiting legal, safe, regulated online sports betting in North Carolina, a state with more than 10 million people and one of the most vibrant sports environments in the country,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “BetMGM’s partnership with Charlotte Motor Speedway meets a great demand for entertainment from North Carolinians. Together we will deliver a premier and responsible gaming product that benefits many state agencies.”
Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter enthusiastically welcomed the partnership saying,
“BetMGM has established itself as a signature source for sports betting with partnerships in every major league sport and with venues across the country. With Charlotte Motor Speedway’s history of innovation, we wanted to move forward into this new era of sports entertainment with a progressive sportsbook. This partnership with BetMGM will bring sports fans new ways to enjoy their favorite events while expanding North Carolina’s tax base, supporting colleges, and facilitating recruitment of major events for the future.”
Ready, Set, When?
Although the sportsbook license applications have been submitted and familiar names such as DraftKings, Bet365, BetMGM, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, and FanDuel are waiting for approval, the question many North Carolinians have on their mind is, when can they make a bet?
Governor Roy Cooper was recently quoted as saying, “The goal is to get [sports betting] out there before March Madness. No guarantee that that’s the case, but I think that is the goal.”
When asked why it has been taking so long to get past the finish line and launch mobile sports betting in the Tar Heel State, Cooper was quick to respond, stating,
“You gotta make sure that the rules are right, that everybody’s complying with the law, and the state is getting its right amount of revenue. It’s pretty complicated to make sure that you follow all of the law that the General Assembly has put in place. They were working on it as fast as they can.”
Although a launch before the men’s national college basketball tournament in March is the goal, the state has, by law, until June to go live with mobile sports betting.
