The North Carolina State Lottery Commission checked off an important box Thursday as a legal online sports betting launch in the Tar Heel State approaches. Eight online betting operators were awarded licenses.

As a result of the regulatory step, the eight North Carolina betting apps will begin accepting player registrations Friday at noon ET. Customers can begin taking advantage of North Carolina betting promotions prior to the official launch of online sports betting in North Carolina on March 11.

“Issuing the first interactive sports wagering operator licenses today represents a major milestone in establishing legal sports betting in North Carolina,” Ripley Rand, chair of the North Carolina State Lottery Commission, said in a press release. “North Carolinians can begin signing up for accounts on their mobile devices on Friday with the confidence they will soon be able to make wagers on their favorite sporting events securely and responsibly. We’re just 11 days away from the start of sports betting in North Carolina and we will be working every day between now and then to see that our launch is a successful one.”

The eight betting apps accepting player registrations in North Carolina beginning Friday are: