It’s off to the races for legal sports betting in North Carolina, the now 30th state to officially legalize the activity.
Legislators passed a law that would make the activity legal in the state in June of last year, and the North Carolina State Lottery Commission later set the start date for the legalization as Monday, March 11th at noon.
With that start line now crossed, anyone 21 or older in the state can now legally bet on pro, college, and Olympic-style sports.
Sports betting was previously only legal at three casinos in the state ran by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Catawba Indian Nation.
The legalization applies to eight licensed companies, including Bet 365 NC, BetMGM NC, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings NC, Fanatics Betting and Gaming, FanDuel NC, ESPN BET NC, and Underdog Sports.
Officials say taxation on sports betting in the state is expected to raise tens of millions in revenue that will go towards various programs, including gambling addiction resources.
