A day after being filed, the latest mobile North Carolina sports betting bill has landed a committee assignment in the state House.
The legislation (HB-347), which is sponsored by Republican Rep. Jason Saine, has bipartisan support in the House, with two Democrats and two Republicans serving as co-sponsors.
Now, the bill heads to the Committee on Commerce for its first set of hearings, before eventually moving to the Committee on Finance and the Judiciary Committee. If HB-347 survives those steps, it would head to the House floor for a vote of the full chamber.
North Carolina’s legislature doesn’t adjourn until July 28, meaning any legislation has months to work its way through the two chambers in Raleigh.
As of Tuesday morning, no additional hearings have been scheduled for HB-347.
What To Know About N.C. Sports Betting Bill
Saine’s legislation would slap a 14% tax rate on all mobile wagers in the state, while pinning a $1 million licensing fee on potential operators.
If HB-347 clears both chambers of the legislature, sports betting in North Carolina could go live by Jan. 1, 2024, with anywhere from 10 to 12 operators.
Right now, two tribes in the western part of the state have retail sportsbooks at their casinos, though the closest state with mobile wagering is Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north.
Bets on professional and collegiate sports would be allowed under the bill, with funding going towards gambling addiction education, North Carolina’s HBCU athletic departments and youth sports.
Whether HB-347 will avoid the same pitfalls as last year’s legislation that cleared the Senate before falling in the House by a 52-49 margin remains to be seen. And for fans of online casino games, the status of mobile sports betting legalization would tell the fate of North Carolina online casinos as well.
For now, the bill’s sponsor is telling local news outlets he’s cautiously optimistic North Carolina betting apps will become a reality and join the growing lists of states with legal mobile wagering.
"This bill is a bipartisan bill, and we've learned a good bit from both sides about some of the tweaks that needed to happen," Saine said. "We've worked to accommodate those concerns, and we believe we have a bill that can do better than pass. It can get broad support from both caucuses." 
When online wagering does become legal in the state, BetCarolina.com will be your home for North Carolina sports betting promos.
