Legalized sports betting in North Carolina cleared another major obstacle Tuesday.
The N.C. House of Representatives approved verbiage, by a 66-45 vote, to allow online wagering for professional and college athletics.
A year ago, a similar bill was torpedoed at this stage.
The House will stage a final vote on House Bill 347 Wednesday.
Will it be a formality?
BREAKING: The North Carolina House of Representatives have approved @JasonSaine97th‘s online sports betting bill by a vote of 66 to 45 on second reading.
The bill remains on the calendar for a third reading. If approved on third reading, it will move to the Senate.
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) March 28, 2023
HB 347 Could Add Millions in Taxes To North Carolina
It could be and there appears to be bipartisan support.
Among eight proposed amendments to HB 347, one of the main sticking points – betting on college sports – was defeated. Wagering on Olympic-style games also remained on the bill. The legislation would license 10-12 mobile sportsbooks and be taxed 14 percent of their adjusted gross revenue, according to WRAL News.
Legalized sports wagering would generate $13.2 million during its first year and could increase to $57.7 million by 2029, the Charlotte Business Journal reported.
HB 347, in its edited form, precludes horse and dog racing and adds funds to 10 UNC System universities that do not field Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
Fifty co-sponsors are lining up behind the legislation, which would expand its current program. N.C. allows in-person sports wagering, but only at three tribal casinos.
A North Carolina bill to legalize sports betting was approved in the state House. https://t.co/opRjGP3xN2
— The Charlotte Observer (@theobserver) March 28, 2023
Legalized Sports Betting Coming to N.C.?
If HB 237 passes a final House vote Wednesday, flies through the state Senate and is eventually signed by Gov. Roy Cooper, N.C. is slated to launch the state-wide program by Jan. 8, 2024.
The legislation has momentum. It was approved by four House committees over the past week, but the bill is not favored by all lawmakers.
N.C. Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) spoke out against the legislation.
“The amount of money given for the gambling addiction problems that ensue from online, it is like 0.3 percent of the need — less than one percent of the need,” Harrison said, as reported by The Daily Tar Heel.
If HB 347 becomes law, North Carolina would become the 25th state to legalize mobile sports betting.
Rep. Jason Saine (R-Lincoln) said the time is now to act.
“Sports betting is a form of entertainment, something that consenting adults with their own money should have the right to do,” Saine told WRAL News. “It is already happening, and ignoring the issue only makes it worse as other states around us continue to legalize it. The immoral thing is to let the illegal market continue.”
