A couple of interesting stories this week reflect a changing cultural environment in North Carolina.
WRAL reports that the figures for the initial month of sports betting in North Carolina are in. Our fellow citizens spent $659 million on sports betting during the month of March. But recall this is only a partial month because betting began on March 11. If we extrapolate, the number would be approximately $972 million if betting took place during the entire month. That is a lot of money blown by our fellow citizens. That will have an enormous impact on families over time.
Also, some national attention was gained when a biological male found his way into a Planet Fitness women’s locker room in Gastonia. This would have been averted had the notorious HB 2 had remained effective nearly eight years ago. The Republicans in Raleigh passed it but then quickly repealed and scuttled any effort to deal with these issues.
Remain mindful that Planet Fitness would have allowed him to remain in that setting had he not acted somewhat aggressively.
I sure am glad the Republicans have supermajorities in Raleigh. Imagine what would happen if they didn’t!
That $659 million went into somebody’s pockets. Tax them. Gambling in many cases is a disease . Take for instance the case of MLB Ohtani’s interpreter stole $16 million from star to feed his gambling addiction.
The case is a very public example of the fine line sports leagues are walking in regard to sports gambling. Professional leagues resisted any association with gambling for decades, but that has changed since a Supreme Court ruling six years ago led to 38 states now allowing legalized gambling on sports.
As far as the interloper into the women’s Planet Fitness locker room , arrest him for indecent exposure. The man, 38, was completely naked in front of a 17 year old girl.
I agree, Fred. The state of North Carolina did not have to make sports gambling legal, but the lure of lobbyists’ money was too great for the Raleigh Republicans to resist.
Unfortunately, granting “trans rights” has effectively invalidated indecent exposure charges in locker rooms. After all, in locker rooms, it is entirely expected to be naked and exposed. If it is legal (and encouraged by the feds) for a biological male to be there, and if the owner of the gym allows it, you can’t stop indecent exposure from taking place– unless, of course, the state steps in and passes some tough laws.