Department of Interior must OK state compact
Murphy – Sports betting is expected to begin in state tribal casinos within the first quarter of this year.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Gov. Roy Cooper signed an amended gaming compact last month that outlines regulatory requirements for sports betting. Although the N.C. General Assembly passed a bill that permitted sports wagering and horse betting at tribal casinos in the summer of 2019, the state and tribe needed to renegotiate their compact to include the new gaming types.
Now that those negotiations are complete, the amended compact must be approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise attorney Ann Davis told the Cherokee One Feather she hopes sports betting begins in time for the Super Bowl but added, “I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
Davis said COVID-19 and a federal administration change could delay the Department of the Interior’s approval. Even if so, EBCI casino sportsbooks should be open in time for NCAA March Madness.
“We are excited to immediately begin implementing sports betting at our gaming properties,” EBCI Principal Chief Richard Sneed told the One Feather. “COVID-19 has negatively impacted funding for critical community services within our Nation, so we welcome this new diverse revenue
stream. The addition of these new services is a positive step toward a more stable and secure future for our tribal members and government operations.”
The amended gaming compact, obtained by the Cherokee Scout, only allows in-person sports betting. The in-person requirement is expected to increase traffic at the EBCI’s two casinos in Cherokee and Murphy, especially considering they are the only legal brick-and-mortar sports wagering options in the region.
Tennessee legalized online sports betting in July 2019, but the state does not have any brick-and-mortar sportsbooks.
“All wagers of any type shall be physically made within the casino structure,” the agreement states. “This compact does not authorize the tribe to accept any wager of any kind (including sports or horse race wagers) through a mobile device or through the internet.”
Among other things, the amended compact allows the state and the compliance committee to inspect all premises where Class III gaming occurs and copy all relevant tribal records, including background checks of employees. The compact also specifies that sports wagering does not include betting on Olympic events.
Additionally, the agreement states that no sports wager may be accepted unless the outcome and score of the event is reported in the media or in official, public records maintained by the appropriate league.
The compact requires the EBCI to pay the state $191,000 in the first year to cover additional expenses the state will incur relating to sports and horse race wagering. That payment increases 3.7 percent annually there-after.
The sports wagering area at both Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort will be known as The Book.