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A sports wagering bill successfully passed out of the North Carolina Senate Committee on Commerce and Insurance on Wednesday afternoon.
The bill moved forward following some minor amendments clarifying horse race betting and adding UNC Charlotte as a school to receive funding from sports gambling taxes.
North Carolina HB 347
Senator Moffitt (R, District 48) briefly summarized the bill to legalize North Carolina online sports wagering, likening the current state ban on sports betting to prohibition.
“This is not legalizing it, in as much as it’s taking place,” Sen. Moffett said of HB 347. “This is just recognizing that this practice exists, it has existed since the beginning of time. It is increasing with access to smartphones and technology. And, in order for us to actually regulate it and manage it in our state, this is what this bill does.”
Senator Jim Perry (R, District 2) also spoke to a tax concern raised by Senator Michael Garrett (D, District 27), explaining that only gross gaming revenue is being taxed. This removes the gambling tax from the constitutional 7% tax cap, because “privileged taxes” are exempt.
Sports Betting Opposition in North Carolina
As was true in the North Carolina House debates, HB 347 did not move forward without opposition. Three individuals spoke against the proposed bill Wednesday on behalf of their organizations.
John Rustin, President North Carolina Family Policy Council, warned that conservative estimates suggest that sanctioned sports gambling would result in “tens of thousands more of our state citizens and their families victimized by gambling addiction if this bill is enacted into law.”
Reverend Mark Creech, Executive Director of the Christian Action League, spoke against the bill on moral grounds, arguing, “All the money in the world that we might gain from this bill, even whatever regulation it provides, can never replace the virtues that will be diminished because of its legalization.”
Finally, Matt Floyd from People’s Baptist Church pointed out that the National Council on Problem Gambling found the rate of addiction to be at least twice as high for sports betting when compared to other gambling. Floyd closed by imploring legislators to not “trade the blessings of God for the evils that come with the love of money.”
What’s Next for North Carolina Sports Betting?
The proposed sports wagering bill will likely have to move through several more committees before being called for a Senate vote. The North Carolina Senate is scheduled to adjourn on August 31.
Sportsbooks Coming to North Carolina: bet365 | BetMGM | Caesars Sportsbook | DraftKings | FanDuel
