North Carolina prepares to launch online sports betting on March 11th and Caesars Sportsbook will be among those platform providers that will go live thanks to an expansion of their partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Prepare to Launch
If you travel to the Tar Heel State you can find Caesars’ retail sportsbooks at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy, North Carolina and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina, both properties of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
The iconic Las Vegas gaming company has been operating its retail sportsbooks at those tribal casinos over the last few years so it was a natural fit for the two entities to join forces and enter the digital sports betting realm.
Partner Up!
All mobile sportsbooks in North Carolina must partner with a pro sports team, an approved golf course, a race track, the PGA, NASCAR, or one of the two native American tribes to be eligible for a license. Caesars recently announced it will launch its mobile sports betting app in North Carolina on March 11th via the license held by its retail, and now digital partners, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
“Our relationship with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has spanned more than two decades,” said Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital. “Expanding this longstanding partnership allows us to build on the premier sports wagering experience enjoyed at our in-person sportsbooks by bringing a responsible way to enjoy sports at a deeper level to the hands of North Carolinians 21 and older across the state.”
“We’re thankful to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and to the North Carolina State Lottery Commission and its Sports Betting Committee for making this possible and we look forward to the launch of mobile sports betting in the Tar Heel State.”
“We are excited for this new venture with Caesars Entertainment and the enhancements it provides to our Tribal enterprise,” said Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “We look forward to the continued opportunities that will benefit the future of our membership.”
The Great Eight
Caesars was the last of North Carolina’s eight online sportsbooks to announce a partnership with an in-state license holder. The eight online sportsbooks prepared to launch on March 11th are listed below as well as their partners.
- DraftKings partners with NASCAR
- FanDuel partners with the PGA Tour
- BetMGM partners with Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Penn Entertainment (ESPN BET) partners with Quail Hollow Club
- Fanatics partners with the Carolina Hurricanes
- Bet365 partners with the Charlotte Hornets
- Underdog partners with Sedgefield Country Club
- Caesars partners with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The March 11th launch coincides with the ACC basketball tournament which includes the University of North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Davidson, and Elon University as popular in-state college basketball programs.
North Carolinians will also be able to wager on the men’s and women’s national basketball tournament, also known as the Big Dance, as the first round begins on March 21st.
