NC Lawmakers to Consider Gambling Expansion: Sports Betting, Video Lottery Terminals on Agenda

North Carolina senators are preparing to debate two legislation this week that could drastically expand gambling in the state. The ideas include legalising mobile sports betting and allowing up to ten video gambling terminals to operate in bars and restaurants.

Legalisation of these activities, according to parliamentary researchers, may yield hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the state. A portion of the cash would be used to support historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), provide loans to community college students, sponsor outdoor youth programmes, and attract major athletic events, according to the proposed legislation.

Many other states have already legalised sports betting, and neighbouring Virginia has approved the establishment of casinos near the North Carolina border.

“Unless you have some moral reason why you would not support gambling, you’re looking around at everybody else doing it and so they feel like they’re getting left out,” said Rep. John Sauls, a Lee County Republican. “That’s money they could have for North Carolina.”

Sauls, a pastor who served in the House from 2003 to 2007 before returning in 2017, is opposed to gambling.

House Bill 347, which focuses on mobile sports betting, was passed by the House in March but is still awaiting action in the Senate. The bill will be debated in a Senate committee this week, according to Senate leader Phil Berger. If passed, the bill would allow 10 to 12 operators to get licences for mobile apps that allow adults in North Carolina to gamble on college, professional, and Olympic sports. It would also allow for the establishment of sports lounges in specific sporting arenas.

House Bill 512 is also scheduled for a hearing in the House Commerce Committee. This bill seeks to legalise video gaming terminals, often known as video lottery terminals, and use the cash earned to establish a forgivable loan programme for community college students as well as fund HBCU programmes. According to Fiscal Research Division predictions, the state could see up to 20,000 terminals in enterprises with an ABC authorization within five years. This might result in a net income of more than $1 billion by 2027-28, with the state collecting $438 million.

While Rep. Harry Warren, a Republican from Rowan County, is the only sponsor of House Bill 512, lawmakers’ views differ. Some are still hesitant and want more information about the bill’s financial impact and other factors.

“I think we’re going to see some expansion of gaming,” said Rep. Stephen Ross, an Alamance County Republican and co-chair of the commerce committee. “Whether it’s the video terminals when it all shakes out in the end, what that is, I don’t know.”

The establishment of casinos in neighbouring Danville, Virginia, has sparked debate among North Carolina legislators. However, no legislation has been presented to enable for Vegas-style casinos beyond tribal property, and the Senate’s budget does not include any casino measures.

As the debate over gambling expansion in North Carolina continues, lawmakers will look into the possible benefits and drawbacks of these plans.