The leading wagering operator bet365 has formed a major partnership with the Charlotte Hornets, a National Basketball Association franchise. Under the agreement, the gaming and betting operator will serve as the team’s official mobile betting provider.

The arrangement comes as North Carolina prepares to launch legal sports betting on January 8. While locals will not be able to wager on sports immediately once the law is passed, betting in the state should launch by June 15 at the latest.

As a result, the activation of the partnership between bet365 and the Charlotte Hornets will also be delayed until the official launch of sports betting in the state.

As the Hornets’ official sponsor, bet365 will establish a presence at the Spectrum Center, as well as across the team’s official digital media platforms.

The Charlotte Hornets are notably the fifth professional sports club in the US to join forces with bet365. Prior to the current agreement, the operator also signed similar agreements with the Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Commanders.

Bet365’s products are already available in a number of states, including Colorado, Iowa, New Jersey, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia, allowing it to reach more American sports aficionados. The company offers sports betting markets for some 78 sports and serves 90 million fans around the globe.

Bet365 just reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the professional darts sector by vowing to support the US Darts Masters event for another year. Under that deal, the gambling company will continue to serve as the competition’s title sponsor, as well as the sponsor of the North American Championship.

North Carolina Betting Is Looming on the Horizon

In the meantime, North Carolina continues to move toward the legalization of sports betting. Despite delaying the launch, the state is working hard on establishing a reliable regulatory framework.

A few days ago, the North Carolina State Lottery Commission reported that it has adopted the first package of sports betting rules. The package covers a variety of topics, including regulations on advertising practices.

In the meantime, the commission is already working on the next set of rules. The public is invited to provide its input by November 27.

Earlier this year, North Carolina also tried to expand its gambling industry by promoting the legalization of more casinos. However, the proposal was met with intense resistance from people who fear that expanding the casino industry may lead to more harm than good.

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