North Carolina Regulators Strike Down Prop-Style Pick’Em Games

The newly formed North Carolina Sports Betting Committee met Tuesday for the first time. During the 30-minute meeting, the committee approved basic rule proposals for the regulated sports betting market. These rules will help lay the groundwork before North Carolina sportsbooks launch, including what games and markets can and cannot be offered.

NC Sports Betting Rules Include Bans On Prop Pick’Em Games

The approved rule proposals included specific definitions surrounding sports wagering. One clear definition pertained to fantasy sports pick’em style games.

Fantasy sports contests will not be allowed to offer “proposition wagering or contests that involve, result in, or have the effect of mimicking proposition wagering or other forms of Sports Wagering.” Such language indicates that North Carolina will join other markets in cracking down against popular pick ’em-style fantasy games.

Recently, New York took a similar stance and banned the pick’em games from its regulated gambling market.

In addition to taking this stance, the committee also approved licensing application rules. These are simple rules surrounding potential applicants to be considered, such as: “To be eligible for consideration, a licensing application must be submitted on or before the deadline established by the Director.”

The approved rules move North Carolina to the next step of the sports betting regulatory process. The public can now comment on the rules until Nov. 1. Following this date, the rules will be either approved fully or altered depending on public feedback.

North Carolina Sportsbooks On Track Toward June 2024 Launch Deadline

During the meeting, Sterl Carpenter confirmed that the lottery commission is on track for its June 2024 launch target. Carpenter is the deputy executive director of gaming compliance and sports betting for the North Carolina Lottery Commission.

“The proposed rules before you are only a preliminary portion of the extensive rules that staff will propose to the commission. Importantly, this means we are on track to meet our statutory deadline,” said Carpenter.

While many in the state are hopeful for a launch in time for betting on Super Bowl odds or wagering on March Madness, the jury is still out on whether those big events will be available to bettors in the state.