In North Carolina, the House recently voted 91-26 for SB 154, which would allow sports betting at the two casinos owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokees, Harrah’s Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in Murphy, both operated by Caesars Entertainment. The Senate passed the legislation in April. Governor Roy Cooper will have 30 days to sign it. Cooper spokesman Ford Porter said the governor will review the measure before deciding whether to sign it into law.
The House also approved SB 574 establishing the 9-member North Carolina Gaming Commission. The board would oversee all current forms of gambling in the state, including the lottery, bingo, raffles and boxing. The bill also requires the commission to conduct a feasibility study on statewide sports betting. The measure was sent back to the Senate for further consideration.
SB 154 allows sports betting on professional and collegiate sports, including those in North Carolina. It does not allow online or mobile sports betting—only on-site wagering at existing tribal casinos. Bill sponsor state Rep. Kevin Corbin, whose district includes the Cherokee casinos, said it “does not geographically expand gaming in North Carolina. We’re not asking to legalize gaming, that was done 21 years ago. We’re not asking for internet or remote sports betting.”
Co-sponsor state Senator Jim Davis, whose district also includes the tribal casinos, added, “I’ve been a champion for expanding gaming opportunities for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for years. They’ve been a great economic generator for the Western region of our state and I’m happy to play a small part in the good they do for this region.” He added, “I expect the governor will sign the bills. They are not controversial and we have strong bipartisan support.”
During deliberations, state Rep. Julia Howard unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to ban wagering on all college games. Opponents argued college sports are hugely popular in the state, led by Duke and the University of North Carolina. They said removing college wagering would eliminate more than half of the betting revenue tribal casinos are expecting.
Still, Eastern Band Principal Chief Richard Sneed said sports betting revenue will not be very significant. He said the tribe projects sports betting and off-track wagering will generate an additional $14 million in annual revenue, with $1 million going to the state. He noted the state already receives regular revenue sharing from tribal gaming operations.
Sneed said, “People are excited about sports betting, especially for a lot of folks that haven’t done sports betting besides office pools. We’re just excited to be able to offer it” if it becomes law, he said.
Regarding how the two sportsbooks will be branded and built, Eldorado Resorts’ announced partnership with Caesars Entertainment could have an impact. Observers said the sportsbooks could be branded and operated by William Hill US, which has an agreement with Eldorado, by Caesars or by DraftKings, which has a deal with Caesars.
