While most gambling stakeholders were tracking casino developments as North Carolina legislators debated a state budget, it was actually a mobile sports betting legislative change that was included in the final budget.'
The changes alter the mobile sports betting licensing process in the Tar Heel State. Previously, mobile applicants could apply for a license without a need to partner with a professional team. There would likely have still been partnerships between mobile sportsbooks and professional teams and venues, but they wouldn’t have been mandated, as they are under the new budget language.''
Now, there's no official cap on mobile entrants – the previous version allotted for 12 operators – but operators need to partner with a professional sports team, owners of major sports facilities, or NASCAR or the PGA Tour to gain access to the state's mobile market. The unexpected change makes a significant impact to a mobile market that could launch as early as January.
“It slipped in at more than just the 11th hour,” industry consultant Brendan Bussmann, managing partner of B Global, said. “It slipped in at the 11th hour in the cover of darkness.”