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ESPN BET is ready to enter North Carolina’s online sports betting scene once the market goes live next year.
Penn Sports Interactive, a subsidiary of PENN Entertainment, signed a partnership with Quail Hollow Club and the Wells Fargo Championship ahead of the market launch. Under the agreement, PENN secures market access for its online sports betting platform ESPN BET in North Carolina, subject to regulatory approvals.
The North Carolina Lottery Commission (NCLC), which oversees online sports betting in the state, set a state-mandated deadline to launch sports betting. The commission also announced the application deadline.
ESPN BET to sponsor the PGA TOUR’s Wells Fargo Championship
According to the agreement, ESPN BET will become the exclusive official betting operator of the Wells Fargo Championship, a PGA TOUR Signature Event held at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC.
As the event’s official betting operator, ESPN BET will have access to several marketing integrations, including golf fan activation and engagement events on-site during the tournament.
Head of Penn Interactive Benjie Levy said in the PENN Entertainment press release:
“We are thrilled to partner with Quail Hollow Club and the Wells Fargo Championship as we prepare to bring our new online sports betting brand, ESPN BET, to North Carolina.
Along with market access, we’re excited to sponsor the popular Wells Fargo Championship and look forward to working together with our new partners to create unique fan activations.”
ESPN BET launched on Nov. 14 in 17 states as PENN Entertainment’s newly branded online sportsbook, replacing Barstool Sportsbook.
As emphasized in the release, ESPN BET combines “ESPN’s industry-leading brand and multiplatform reach” with PENN’s “proprietary in-house technology and deep sportsbook operational expertise.”
ESPN BET is ready for the North Carolina sports betting market
The North Carolina Lottery Commission (NCLC) set a state-mandated deadline of June 14, 2024, to launch sports betting.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission approved sports betting licences last week and is now accepting applications from operators. During a public meeting on Nov. 29, the Sports Betting Committee of the NCLC set an application deadline for Dec. 27.
The NCLC also set a 60-day window for approving applications.
The commission members advised the applicants to submit their request for a background check as early as possible. That process can start before the final application submission and help regulators accelerate the launch process.
The background check process usually takes up to 60 days but, if necessary, can be extended to another 30 days.
Although North Carolina sports enthusiasts won’t be able to place online bets by the 2024 Super Bowl, the market could still bring March Madness betting.
