A bill introduced Wednesday by North Carolina state Sen. Jim Davis, whose district includes two Cherokee-owned casinos, would "allow sports wagering" on tribal lands, "creating a path to legal betting on professional and college sporting events," according to Luke DeCock of the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER. The bill "amends the language governing casino gaming on tribal lands to include 'the placing of wagers on the outcome of professional and collegiate sports contests.'" The proposed bill "also has the support" of Senate Leader Phil Berger. Eight states have "legalized wagering on sporting events" since the Supreme Court lifted the federal ban on sports betting last year. ACC Commissioner John Swofford last summer said that it would take the conference some time to "come to grips with the reality of legal betting on its games." Univ. of North Carolina AD Bubba Cunningham said that sports gambling "remains a concern." He said, "We are working with our conference office and will be working with the NCAA on this issue." DeCock notes what the bill "doesn't address is whether wagering would be prohibited on college games played within North Carolina and on games played by North Carolina-based public universities" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 3/1).
