Sports betting bil unlikely to get full House vote till next year :: WRAL.com – WRAL.com

After months on hold, a bill that would legalize and tax sports gambling in North Carolina is moving again, taking its first tentative step through the House on Thursday.

FIRST ORAL ANTIVIRAL TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 TO BE APPROVED AND THIS GREEN LIGHT COMES AHEAD OF THE POSSIBLE CLEARANCE IN THE U.S. >>> STATE LAWMAKERS ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO LEGALIZING SPORTS BETTING AFTER PASSING THE HOUSE AND ALREADY PASSING THE SENATE. WE ARE JOINED LIVE AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING WITH LAURA LESLIE TO EXPLAIN WHY THE PROCESS IS MOVING SO SLOWLY. >> Reporter: IT IS MOVING SLOWLY AND THE BILL IS BEEN ON HOLD SINCE PASSING THE SENATE EARLIER THIS SUMMER AND HOUSE LEADERS TODAY SAID THEY DON'T INTEND TO TRY TO RUSH IT TO THE CHAMBER THIS YEAR. OBVIOUSLY IS NOT CLEAR THIS POINT WHETHER IT WOULD PASS THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW ANYWAY BUT THEY DO WANT TO AT LEAST HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. >> Reporter: 30 OTHER STATES HAVE ALREADY LEGALIZE SPORTS GAMBLING, AVAILABLE AT THE NORTH CAROLINA TRAVEL CASINOS TOO. THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID IT'S TIME TO EXPAND IT TO THE REST OF THE STATE BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ALREADY DOING IT, AND MOST DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW. >> IT WILL DRASTICALLY EXPAND GAMBLING IN NORTH CAROLINA IS JUST FALSE WITH AN ESTIMATED 2 MILLION PEOPLE BETTING ALREADY ON SPORTS THROUGH ILLEGAL CHANNELS LIKE BOOKIES AND OFFSHORE SPORTS BOOKS. >> Reporter: STATE LAW BANS GAMBLING ON GAMES OF CHANCE LIKE VIDEO POKER OR CRAPS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE STATE LOTTERY. THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE DOES NOT EVEN CONSIDER SPORTS BETTING TO BE GAMBLING BECAUSE IT DOES REQUIRE SOME SKILL. >> THERE IS DATA, STATISTICS AND ANALYTICS THAT CAN GO IN THIS THING AND IT'S NOT LIKE YOU JUST HOPEFULLY ROLL THE DICE TO ROLL A NUMBER SEVEN OR SPIN THE WHEEL. >> IT WOULD BE REGULATED BY THE STATE LOTTERY COMMISSION THAT WOULD ISSUE LICENSES TO VENDORS TO OPERATE HERE AND OPERATOR PROFITS WOULD BE TAXED AT 8% WHICH COULD BRING A LOT OF NEW MONEY INTO THE STATE BUDGET. BUT REPRESENTATIVE DEB BUTLER VOTED AGAINST IT SAYING MAKING SPORTS BETTING WIDELY AVAILABLE WOULD LEAD TO A HUGE EXPANSION OF GAMBLING. >> IT IS CLEAR TO ME IT WILL AFFECT THOSE THAT CAN ARGUABLY LEAST AFFORD IT THE MOST. I AM NOT CONVINCED, AS THE CHAIRMAN SAID THAT EVERYBODY GOT A GUY AND I DON'T HAVE A GUY AND I DON'T KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE GUYS. >> Reporter: THIS IS JUST NOT PART OF THE EAST BUT MANY SOCIAL CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS REALLY DON'T LIKE THE BILL EITHER. JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE STATE LOTTERY IT MAY BE THAT THE PROSPECT OF NEW TAX DOLLARS THAT MAY MAKE THEM

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Sports betting bil unlikely to get full House vote till next year :: WRAL.com - WRAL.com