Groups rally against legalizing mobile sports gambling in NC

As North Carolina lawmakers prepare to vote to legalize mobile sports betting, critics point to a raft of problems they say the state is inviting with legalization.
Posted 3/28/2023, 12:03:33 AM Updated 3/28/2023, 12:58:09 AM

ONLY 45% CONTAINED AFTER ABOUT

AN THAT'S UP TO ABOUT AN HOUR

AGO. DAN LOT OF WORK TO BE

DONE.

>> MOBILE SPORTS GAMBLING IN

NORTH CAROLINA COULD MOVE A BIG

STEP CLOSER TO BEING LEGAL THIS

WEEK. BUT NOT EVERYONE THINKS

IT'S A GOOD BET FOR THE STATE.

WRAL, SPORTS INVESTIGATIVE

REPORTER BRIAN MURPHY. TALK

TO THOSE TRYING TO STOP THE

MEASURE AGAIN.

>> WE'VE SEARCHED FACT USEFUL

MONEY. WHAT A SHAME. WHAT A

SHAME.

>> THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE ABE

JONES, A RALEIGH DEMOCRAT AND

ONE OF THE LAWMAKERS AGAINST

THE MEASURE TO LEGALIZE SPORTS

GAMBLING IN NORTH CAROLINA.

HE AND OTHER OPPONENTS ARE

WARNING THAT LEGALIZATION COULD

HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES

FROM SELF JOB IN THE IN THE

HOME. A DIVORCE CHILD ABUSE,

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND EVEN

SUICIDE STATES THAT HAVE

LEGALIZED SPORTS GAMBLING HAVE

SEEN AN INCREASE IN PROBLEM,

GAMBLING AND YOUNG MEN HAVE

BEEN MOST IMPACTED, SAYS LES

BERNAL, THE DIRECTOR OF STOP

PREDATORY GAMBLING, A D C BASED

GROUP. IT'S OUT OF CONTROL

BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT A

SPORTS FAN ANYMORE UNLESS YOU

MONEY IN THE GAME. SUPPORTERS

OF LEGALIZATION BETTING THAT IS

ALREADY HAPPENING AND THE

REVENUE NORTH CAROLINA IS

LOSING TO OTHER STATES AND

OFFSHORE OPPONENTS SAY THE

AMOUNT OF GAMBLING WILL

DEFINITELY INCREASE. IT'S

INEVITABLE THAT THE MORE THAT

GAMBLING IS LEGALIZED, THE MORE

THAT IT'S ADVERTISE, THE MORE

CITIZENS ARE GOING TO GAMBLE.

A SIMILAR EFFORT FAILED IN THE

HOUSE BY A SINGLE VOTE LAST

YEAR. OPPONENTS ARE HOPEFUL

THEY CAN CONVINCE ENOUGH

LAWMAKERS TO THWART THIS YEAR'S

EFFORT AS WELL. PEOPLE

UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE ON

THIS I DO THINK THIS BILL CAN

FAIL. IT SHOULD FAIL BECAUSE IT

HAS NO MERIT. BRIAN MURPHY,

© WRAL