The post ESPN BET Partners With Quail Hollow Club For North Carolina Mobile Access appeared first on SportsHandle.
ESPN BET is coming to North Carolina in 2024, as PENN Entertainment shared Tuesday that it has entered into a “long-term, multi-faceted partnership” with Quail Hollow Club and the Wells Fargo Championship.
The partnership with the golf course and PGA Tour event gives PENN market access for online sports betting in North Carolina, which will go live in the first half of 2024. In recent weeks, bet365 announced a partnership with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets to gain access to North Carolina’s sports betting market.
As part of its partnership, ESPN BET will become the exclusive official sports betting operator of the Wells Fargo Championship. ESPN BET will be allowed to have on-site marketing materials at the tournament.
“We are thrilled to partner with Quail Hollow Club and the Wells Fargo Championship as we prepare to bring our new online sports betting brand, ESPN BET, to North Carolina,” Benjie Levy, head of PENN Interactive, said in a joint press release. “Along with market access, we’re excited to sponsor the popular Wells Fargo Championship and look forward to working together with our new partners to create unique fan activations.”
North Carolina mobile outlook
ESPN BET, which launched in mid-November across 17 states, is hopeful it can compete with industry giants like DraftKings and FanDuel. Both of those betting apps are also expected to be available to North Carolina customers when mobile betting goes live.
It’s also anticipated that BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, and Fanatics Sportsbook will enter North Carolina’s sports wagering market. That still leaves a handful of licenses for other operators to make their sports betting sites available.
North Carolina’s legislation allows mobile operators to gain market access in the state through partnerships with professional sports teams and venues. ESPN BET and Quail Hollow Club, which will host the 2025 PGA Championship, found each other to be an ideal fit.
“We welcome the upcoming launch of regulated online sports wagering in North Carolina and are extremely pleased to partner with a leading gaming and entertainment operator in PENN Entertainment,” Johnny Harris, president of Quail Hollow Club, said in the release. “PENN’s compelling online sports betting brand ESPN BET, cutting-edge technology and extensive operational expertise make them an ideal long-term partner for this industry.”
The North Carolina Lottery shared last week that it hopes to receive applications for mobile licenses by Dec. 27. Mobile sports wagering won’t be live in North Carolina by the Super Bowl in February, but it’s possible it could launch before March Madness.
North Carolina’s mobile market is mandated to launch sometime by mid-June. The Wells Fargo Championship takes place in early May.
The post ESPN BET Partners With Quail Hollow Club For North Carolina Mobile Access appeared first on SportsHandle.
