North Carolina’s General Assembly has approved the sports betting bill that was first given Senate clearance three months ago, paving the way for the state’s Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to offer sports and horse wagering at its two casinos. It will now be put before Governor Roy Cooper who will review the bill before deciding if it can make the statute book.
The bill, which was sponsored by five Republicans and two Democrat senators, would facilitate betting on sports and horse races solely at the tribes two casinos. It contains no measures to allow the introduction of mobile sports wagering.
According to Eastern Band Principal Chief Richard Sneed, speaking in the Associated Press, sports betting would help deliver more amenities at the tribe’s Harrah casinos in Murphy and Cherokee, but stopped short of saying that they would generate big returns for the tribe.
He projected an additional $14m of annual revenue from sports and off-track horse betting, with $1m earmarked for the state.
Monday’s approval follows news last Friday that the state’s House of Representatives had given the green light to a second, concurrent, bill which legislates for the formation of a consolidated state commission that will regulate all gambling activities in North Carolina.
