The Tar Heel State is getting one step closer to legalizing sports betting. After being created in September, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission’s Sports Betting Advisory Committee gathered for the first time.
The commission members held a public meeting yesterday and approved its first package of proposed betting rules in the state. The committee voted to approve the regulations, focusing on licensing measures and risk control.
While establishing the rulemaking process, North Carolina joined several other states looking to ban daily fantasy sports pick ’em contests.
Governor Roy Cooper signed a bill into law for online sports and horse betting in June, which paved the way for betting on several sports to be legal in North Carolina next year. While North Carolina already allows in-person betting at three tribal casinos, NC online sportsbook apps can only launch between Jan. 8 and June 14, 2024.
NC Sports Betting Committee working to get the legislature up and running
As mentioned, North Carolina regulators met to propose the first set of NC sports betting rules for consideration. But, before the committee members can fully approve the state’s first 48 sports betting and pari-mutuel rules, they must schedule a public hearing.
Here’s a timeline of the following events and procedures:
- The next public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 27 in Raleigh to hear feedback on this first set of regulations
- The public comment period will be open until Nov. 1
- A follow-up presentation with the committee on the set of rules is scheduled around Nov. 14
- Once adopted, the regulations will be ready to go into effect on Jan. 8, which is the earliest time online sports betting apps can go live
The commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to help residents better understand the timeline, licensing, and sports betting revenue distribution.
DFS pick ’em games banned in sports betting rules
Among the rules in the first proposed package of sports betting regulations, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission defined what establishes daily fantasy sports.
In the definition, the NC Commission’s rules also detail five types of contests that are not daily fantasy sports:
“Fantasy contests” means fantasy or simulated games or contests in which one or more fantasy contest players compete and winning outcomes reflect the relative knowledge and skill of the fantasy contest players and are determined predominantly by accumulated statistical results of the performance of individuals, including athletes in the case of sporting events.”
Fantasy contests do not include any of the following:
(a) based on proposition wagering or contests that involve, result in, or have the effect of mimicking proposition wagering or other forms of Sports Wagering;
(b) in which an Individual chooses, directly or indirectly, whether individuals or a single real-world team will surpass an identified statistical achievement, such as points scored;
(c) in which an Individual submits a fantasy contest team which does not involve the knowledge, skill, input, or control of such person;
(d) in which an Individual submits a fantasy contest team composed of (i) a single individual; (ii) the entire roster of a real-world team; or (iii)solely individuals who are members of the same real-world team;
(e) in which an Individual fantasy Player does not compete against at least one other Individual fantasy Player.
Daily fantasy sports are not regulated in North Carolina but are operational across several sites offering picks-style fantasy contests. If these operators wish to comment publicly on the regulations, they have until Nov. 1 to submit written comments.