When you talk about sports betting, Vermont and North Carolina aren't among the first states that come to mind. Whilst the latter has a strong sports base, the state has always been hesitant to legalise sports betting, and several iterations of laws have failed to materialise.
However, together with Vermont, these two are the most recent states to legalise online sports betting, sending a strong message to others.
Table of contents
North Carolina and sports betting
March 11, 2024, was the big day for sports betting in North Carolina. This was the week of the 2024 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament, and it’s when sports gambling became officially legal in the state.
👀 North Carolinians spent just shy of $200 million in the first week alone. For context, that's a whopping $1.2 million in betting value per hour!
Of that amount, $117 million came directly from the pockets of gamblers in the state, whilst around $81 million was provided by sportsbooks through promotions, such as the Bet365 bonus code. However, the launch was a long time coming.
The North Carolina sports gambling journey
After the Supreme Court ruled the sports betting ban unconstitutional in 2018, several states legalised sports betting that same year. However, North Carolina didn't rush and has been cautious over the years. Boasting a strong college sports culture, the state was concerned about the impact of sports betting on colleges and local communities.
In 2019, North Carolina dipped its toes in the water by legalising sports betting in two tribal casinos operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This meant that to place a bet, you had to go there in person.
In view of the expanding sports gambling culture across the country, the state began considering expansion in 2021. There were several discussions, and legislators started drafting bills to legalise online and mobile sports betting. However, several laws failed to pass.
That was until the 2023 breakthrough when North Carolina finally passed legislation to allow online sports betting. Governor Roy Cooper signed the bill into law in June 2023, and the state began drafting guidelines for gambling operations.
👉 Eight sportsbooks obtained licences for $1 million each.
Vermont and sports gambling
Vermont is known for an even more cautious legislative approach, and this was certainly the case for sports gambling. After the 2018 legalisation, sports betting didn’t garner much discussion in the state for several years, despite some neighbours like New York and New Hampshire being among the first to legalise it.
However, after recognising how much revenue the state was missing out on, legislators began reconsidering their stance in 2021. In 2022, the state formed a committee to explore the possibility by assessing the experiences of other states – specifically the economic impact and issues surrounding problem gambling.
This ultimately turned into actual legislation in 2023, and Governor Phil Scott signed the bill into law in June 2023. The law allowed up to six sportsbooks, and so far, three have been licensed.
These launched their operations on 11 January, but sports gambling in the state is strictly online only.
Changing the US betting map
The signing of the sports gambling law in June 2023 made North Carolina the 30th state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalise state-wide sports betting. As a key southeastern state with a passionate sports fan base and a large population, North Carolina's entry into sports betting is quite significant. Neighbouring states like South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama have always been hesitant to take the plunge, but they will now be under pressure to reconsider their stances.
A good example of that pressure is Vermont, which was the only state in New England yet to legalise sports gambling. Its 2023 entry made it the 38th state, along with the District of Columbia, where online and mobile sports betting is live and regulated.
The entry of these two states shows that more states are giving in to the pressure. It’s only a matter of time before more states follow suit as the demand for legal betting and the potential for substantial revenue become impossible to ignore.
