Official betting on professional and collegiate sports is now legal in 34 states and Washington, D.C., and is a huge driver of revenue for leagues and clubs. But while there are some clear rules for players and fans, the world of official betting can still be confusing.
PHILLIPS: The NFL used to be very much against legalized sports betting, and they fought it all the way to the Supreme Court. But as soon as they lost, they did a total 180 and are now fully embracing it in a lot of ways, partnering with sportsbooks, having betting lines pushed into their media coverage and even having sportsbooks inside stadiums.
It’s a big change for the NFL, which had feared that the ubiquity of sports gambling would lead to more attempts at game fixing and compromising games for gambling purposes. Now, the league feels that it’s in a better position to monitor and catch these offenders because they have more visibility into what bettors are doing, where they’re placing their bets and who is making them.
North Carolina’s sports betting apps will launch in January 2024, with the first licenses awarded on March 10. The sportsbook websites and mobile apps of DraftKings, FanDuel, WynnBET, Barstool, Betr, Caesars and Fanatics will be available to anyone in the state who is 21 years or older, provided they meet the requirements for geolocation software. Other apps are expected to be available later in the year, including Bally Bet and Betway.