News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on January 12, 2024.

The long-awaited North Carolina sports betting law went into effect on Monday. House Bill 347, which was passed last summer, authorizes and regulates wagering on horse racing and on professional, college, and amateur sports. It allows up to twelve legal online sportsbooks and eight in-person sportsbooks to operate at professional sports venues in the state. The law provides the following penalties for violations of its provisions: A Class 2 misdemeanor for knowingly engaging in wagering in violation of the new law; A Class 2 misdemeanor for any person under the age of 21 to engage in wagering; A Class G felony to influence or attempt to influence the outcome of any competition or aspect of any competition that is the subject of wagering; and A Class I felony for any applicant for a license under the new laws to willfully furnish, supply, or otherwise give false information on the license application. In other legislative news, a bill aimed at outlawing “revenge porn” in Massachusetts was approved unanimously by the Massachusetts House on Wednesday. Minors who possess, purchase, or share explicit photos of themselves or other minors can currently be charged with violating the state’s child pornography laws and are required to register as sex offenders. Instead of criminal punishment, the bill would allow minors to be diverted to an educational program, which would teach teenagers about the legal and nonlegal consequences of sexting. Massachusetts and South Carolina are the only states with no current protections against image-based sexual assault. AP News [...]