Senate set to vote on legislature regarding mobile sports betting in North Carolina
Mobile Sports Betting Goes Live in North Carolina
After much anticipation, mobile sports betting is now legal and operational in North Carolina, having been officially legalized in March 2024. As of August 2025, up to 12 authorized online sportsbooks are in operation, with eight of them currently active and licensed by the North Carolina State Lottery.
The initial legislation set an 18% tax on gross wagering revenue from sportsbooks, but there have been proposals to increase this rate to 36%, which would rank among the highest in the U.S. This move aims to substantially increase state revenue from sports betting.
However, the current legislation does not explicitly include horse racing betting or its integration into the mobile sports betting framework. Horse racing operators like the Charlotte Motor Speedway are involved in partnerships with sportsbooks, but these appear to be related to sports sponsorship rather than regulatory inclusion of horse race wagering within the legalized mobile sports betting platforms.
The proposed bill, HB 347, passed through the House in late March 2023, but it did not include horse-racing language. If the bill survives Senate debates and is enacted in early June, the state lottery, which would be North Carolina's sports betting regulator, would have about six months to hire additional staff, draft regulations, and award licenses. The bill allows for parimutuel wagering on horse racing.
The suggested start date for mobile sports betting, if the bill becomes law, is January 8, 2024. The bill also provides an opportunity for historical horse racing and live horse racing if a track is built in North Carolina.
The Senate is expected to vote on a bill to legalize mobile sports betting next week. If the bill passes, it would need to return to the House for concurrence on changes like the horse-racing language and the 18% tax rate. The new version of the bill does not allow operators to deduct promotional play from taxable revenue.
Recent controversies in the industry may influence debates on college sports wagering in the Senate. North Carolina, which currently allows only retail sports wagering at tribal casinos, would have up to 12 mobile operators under the bill.
Discussions on the Senate floor could be extensive, with numerous amendments added this week. The bill's passage would mark a significant step in betting accessibility, allowing wagers anywhere within state lines.
[1] North Carolina Lottery [2] Charlotte Observer [3] Capitol Broadcasting Company [4] Governing [5] WRAL
The upcoming Senate vote on mobile sports betting bill could extend betting opportunities beyond tribal casinos in North Carolina, potentially allowing wagers on casino-and-gambling activities like sports betting, even through mobile platforms. If the bill passes, the North Carolina Lottery, as the regulator, may need to draft regulations and hire additional staff to manage the line of up to 12 authorized online sportsbook operators. The new law could also legalize and equate horse race wagering with sports betting, as proposed in HB 347.
