North Carolina sports betting won’t launch in time for the Super Bowl

The commission approved application forms for operators at its meeting on Wednesday.

US.- Legal sports betting in North Carolina is unlikely to go live on time for the Super Bowl in February. That’s according to a statement from the North Carolina Lottery Commission after a meeting on Wednesday. 

North Carolina’s legal mobile sports betting market must start between January 8 and mid-June. Commissioners had already ruled out January 8 as a realistic go-live date, but now say the Super Bowl on February 11 is out too.

Commission chairman Ripley Rand said: “We see questions about whether sports betting will be up and running in time for the Super Bowl. It’s clear, however, with all the work remaining to be done and the timetable set out in state law that unfortunately won’t be the case.”

The commission approved application forms for operators at its meeting on Wednesday. The first deadline for applications, which are expected to become available later this week, is December 27. The commission has 60 days from that date to perform background checks and other work.

Rand said: “We know that the betting public is very interested in knowing the date that the first batch can be made in North Carolina. There are a number of factors in determining what that date will be – the number of applications that we received, the dates that the applications are completed, the dates that the supporting information is submitted – 1000s of pages of information that we’re going to have to review. 

“We’re going to have to complete our rulemaking so that the applicants know what the rules are going to be once the licences are approved, we’re going to need to complete background checks on all the applicants to make sure that they comply with North Carolina law and with all of our rules, and the operators will have to submit their internal controls.”