North Carolina’s tribal operators legalized retail sports betting in July 2019. Then, last June, state lawmakers legalized online sports betting as well, with the launch of the activity expected next month. So far, there are eight online sports betting operators that are expected to roll out their services with the opening of the market in North Carolina in March.

The list includes industry giants, DraftKings and FanDuel, as well as BetMGM, bet365 and Caesars Sportsbook. Moreover, Underdog Sports, Fanatics Sportsbook and ESPN Bet are also planning to launch their services with the opening of the legal mobile betting market next month. According to a recent report, the number of mobile sportsbooks is expected to grow further with the addition of another operator.

As announced by SportsHandle, Catawba Two Kings Casino, the premium gaming and betting venue in Kings Mountain, is also anticipating entering the mobile sports betting vertical. The venue is one of three that currently offer retail sports betting. The other two are Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee as well as Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in Murphy.

The Casino Is Expected to Select a Partner Soon

Reportedly, Catawba Two Kings Casino is currently exploring options for teaming up with a mobile betting partner. The venue would need to apply for a license with the North Carolina gambling regulator, the NC State Lottery Commission, but that can happen once it has selected a suitable betting partner.

Given that Catawba Two Kings Casino is in the process of selecting a betting partner, it is uncertain if the venue would be able to go through the licensing and be ready for the launch of mobile betting in the state. According to Tylee Tracer-Anderson, Catawba Indian Nation’s director of communications, the venue is currently assessing different options for a mobile sports betting operator to team up with. “We hope to have one chosen within the next few months and are looking forward to launching our new gaming venture,” he added.

Currently, 38 states along with DC offer some form of legal sports betting. The statewide expansion of the activity started back in 2018 after the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA.

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The Catawba Nation is currently working on a new casino property in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The property, called Catawba Two Kings Casino, was set to begin construction in 2022. However, various setbacks have pushed that date back.

Around 35 miles west of Charlotte, the tribal nation’s latest property is set to overlook Interstate 85. The casino will sport some 3,000 slots, as many as 120 gaming tables and a 400-room hotel, allowing it to welcome hundreds of guests.

Unfortunately, the construction will experience some setbacks because of a dispute between the nation and the developer. This has caused concerns among local businesses which rely on the casino project to channel customers toward the region.

Restaurant and shop owners believe that the locale is too remote and say that it rarely attracts tourists. Businesses hope that the Catawba Two Kings Casino will change that trend, bringing in many new customers.

Because of that, the delay of the construction is a serious cause for concern among business owners.

The Temporary Casino Is Already Generating Traffic

The construction of the Catawba Two Kings Casino was supposed to begin in 2022. As mentioned, the project kept on getting delayed, to local businesses’ dismay.

Luckily, a temporary casino is already running and proving to have a beneficial effect on the local economy. While three times smaller than its permanent counterpart, the temporary casino boasts some 1,000 slots and multiple electronic table games.

Statistics show that the temporary venue has already increased the visitation rates by 25-30%. A further boost of 30% is expected once the casino plans have been completed.

In any case, the dispute between the Catawba Nation and the casino developer will further slow down the project. Originally expected to be completed by 2024-2025, the casino project is now in limbo, its future uncertain.

Experts believe that the Catawba Two Kings Casino should be complete by 2026-2027 or later. In the meantime, the Catawaba Nation is working on solutions to get the project going.

In the meantime, North Carolina prepares for the launch of mobile sports betting sometime in 2024. As the state braces for the launch of the vertical, lawmakers have also proposed an expansion of the state’s casino industry. However, this measure has yet to gain traction.

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