North Carolina State Lottery Commission (NCSLC), Sports Betting Committee, has released its proposed rules for sports betting. These include a prohibition on daily fantasy sport (DFS) pick’em games.
On 17 October, the state Sports Betting Committee initiated the rulemaking procedure on the proposed regulations. The committee also launched a public comment period on the proposed rules that will end on 1 November.
In June, North Carolina’s governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 34 into law. The signing of House Bill 347 in June came after several attempts were made to introduce sports betting into the Tar Heel state.
North Carolina was required to post its regulations on sports betting before the 8th of January 2024. All sports betting operators must be authorized by the state to begin accepting wagers on 14 June 2024.
North Carolina has now joined a growing number of states, including New York, in focusing on pick’em DFS. New York State Gaming Commission has banned DFS-style pick’em games, in spite of opposition by Underdog Fantasy and PrizePicks.
The games in North Carolina will be prohibited if the pick’em game ban is not challenged.
What is this for Operators in NC?
North Carolina’s proposed regulation states that fantasy competitions are “fantasy, simulated or other games or contests where one or more contestants compete in a fantasy or simulation game or contest and the winning outcome reflects the relative skill and knowledge of those contestants”.
It continues that the games are determined primarily by the accumulated statistics of individual performances, such as athletes, in sporting events.
DFS operators such as Underdog Fantasy, which operates in North Carolina, may have trouble continuing their operations there once sports betting begins.
The Coalition for Fantasy Sports – a group that represents Underdog Fantasy and PrizePicks & Sleeper – has reportedly said the North Carolina state legislature will ensure fantasy sports can still be played in the state.
The coalition said that the legislature had ensured our contests will continue to be available as fantasy sports by passing its sports betting bill just a couple of months back. We are confident the Lottery Commission can come up with rules reflecting the spirit and letter of the bill.
We look forward to working with legislators to develop rules to protect the fantasy sports North Carolinians play for many years.
What is excluded from the proposed ban?
The NCSLC has said that the ban proposed does not apply to five different types of games. The NCSLC said that the proposed ban does not include five types of games.
This ban also excludes games in which the player has the option to choose whether an “real” athlete or team will exceed a specified statistical goal, such as points.
