Both bodies of the NC General Assembly finally approved HB347 on Wednesday which will legalize online sports betting in the state of North Carolina.
While sports betting was already allowed in the state's three tribal casinos, the bill will finally legalize online wagering by allowing up to 12 mobile gambling sites to obtain five-year operating licenses within the state.
Those licenses, which are renewable, will cost $1 million and the operators will have to pay an 18% tax on their gambling revenues.
The bill will now head to Governor Roy Cooper - who's expressed his support for legalized sports betting many times before - for his signature before officially becoming law.
Once officially passed, North Carolina would become the 28th state to legalize online sports betting.
It's a moment that the Carolina Hurricanes have been waiting on for years.
"It’s something that we’ve been working on for numerous years and I think we’re getting to a point now where hopefully we’ll get close to the finish line," said general manager and team president Don Waddell in his end-of-season interview.
The bill states that, "Each sports facility may partner with one interactive sports wagering operator to provide places of public accommodation" and that it "Allows permanent places of public accommodation for the purpose of playing sports wagers to be associated with each sports facility," meaning that the Hurricanes will be able to partner with a licensed operator to build a hub or gambling spot at PNC Arena should they get approval.
“We are in a good position," Waddell said. "We’ve been talking to a lot of the casinos that would typically be bidding on the project here. We will eventually do an RFP once we know all the rules and regulations."
The legalization of gambling in the state is also another big step towards PNC Arena receiving new renovations and for the surrounding property to be developed as the on-site wagering could be a huge potential draw.
"What’s important is that we want to make this a destination place, not just a sports arena," Waddell said. "There’s been lots of talk about the expansion of the arena and development of the property. If you’re going to do these things, you’re going to need reasons to draw people in. We certainly think with the way that gambling goes on right now in our state illegally, that legalizing it benefits everybody. To us, this is something that we’ve been looking forward to.”
Once passed, online sports betting could become available in North Carolina as early as January 2024.