North Carolina offers sports betting at three tribal casinos. Two have full-service sportsbooks. The other casino only has kiosks. Mobile betting launched on March 11, 2024. North Carolina became the 31st state with legal online and mobile betting.
Bettors must be at least 21 years old and located within state lines when placing a wager. College betting is permitted. This page offers a detailed analysis of the current North Carolina sports betting scene.
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North Carolina Mobile Sports Betting
North Carolina legalized online and mobile sports betting in 2023. It went live on March 11, 2024.
The tax rate is 14%. There is an initial $1 million fee. Up to 12 sportsbooks may be licensed in the state. These will partner with professional NC sports teams and the two tribal entities. Caesars Sportsbook is the operator of the two Harrah’s casinos in the state. IGT handles sports betting at Catawba Two Kings. Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, FanDuel, and Underdog Sports all operate mobile sportsbooks in North Carolina.
NC Online Sportsbook Partnerships
North Carolina online sportsbooks must either partner with a tribal casino, professional sports team, or a sports venue. Eight operators launched on March 11, 2024. The list below includes each mobile sports betting site and its state partner.
- Bet365: Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
- BetMGM: Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Caesars Sportsbook: Harrah’s Cherokee
- DraftKings: NASCAR
- ESPN Bet: Quail Hollow Club
- Fanatics: Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
- FanDuel: PGA Tour
- Underdog Sports: McConnell Golf
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While Catawba Two Kings uses IGT for its retail operations, it does not appear the tribe will move that partnership to its online license. The casino has not yet announced its partner. It did not participate in opening day on March 11, 2024.
History of Sports Betting in North Carolina
North Carolina didn’t waste much time in legalizing sports betting after the federal ban was lifted. However, the state has limited sports betting options. Lawmakers were quick to take advantage of the opportunity back in 2019, but that was only at the state’s tribal casinos.
The state legislature officially passed a law to legalize sports betting back in 2019. Two Caesars Sportsbooks opened at the two Harrah’s casinos in NC in 2021. The following year, Catawba Two Kings launched sports betting.
Harrah’s Cherokee offers the largest NC sportsbook. It has stadium and private seating with a wall of televisions next to its poker room. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River has a small sportsbook that seats about 30 people. There is a bar steps away from the viewing area. Both Harrah’s Cherokee casinos have ticket counters and kiosks. Mobile betting on the Caesars Sportsbook app started on March 1, 2024, on both Cherokee reservations.
Catawba Two Kings southwest of Charlotte has a small viewing area on its casino floor. IGT kiosks accept bets. There is no betting counter.
On March 11, 2024, eight online sportsbooks opened in the state. Bets are accepted anywhere within the state lines, except on tribal land. However, the Caesars app works on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians land.
Sports Teams to Bet on in North Carolina
North Carolina is the home of three major professional sports franchises. The three franchises that play in North Carolina are the Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Carolina Hurricanes. All these teams and other pro ones have or may partner with online sportsbooks.
College sports are huge in North Carolina. Major NCAA teams are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. These teams are the Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, NC State Wolfpack, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Smaller schools include the Appalachian State Mountaineers, Davidson Wildcats, East Carolina Pirates, and West Carolina Catamounts.
College betting is permitted without restrictions. However, these teams may not partner with betting companies.
NC Pro Sports Teams
The Carolina Panthers played their first season in North Carolina in 1995. The team is a member of the NFC South in the NFL. The Panthers are owned by David Tepper and led by Dave Canales. The Panthers have had a fairly successful run in their brief history as a franchise. This includes eight playoff appearances, including six division titles and two NFC Championships. Unfortunately for Carolina Panthers fans, the team lost both Super Bowl appearances.
The Charlotte Hornets are an NBA franchise that plays in the league’s Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team is owned by Michael Jordan and coached by Steve Clifford. Ever since Michael Jordan became involved with the Hornets, interest in the team has grown around the state. The team was founded in 1988, but they have only been playing as the Hornets since 2014. They have no division or conference titles to their name.
The Carolina Hurricanes play in Raleigh. They are a member of the NHL’s Eastern Conference and play in the Metropolitan Division. Coached by Rod Brind’Amour, the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in the 2005-06 season. The team won its first division title during the Covid-shortened 2021 season, finishing at the top of the Central Division. Proving it was no fluke, they also won the division crown after moving back to the Metro Division during the 2021-22 campaign.
Banking Options
There are several ways to deposit and withdraw from NC mobile betting apps. The most common deposit options are Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Play+ prepaid debit card, and electronic bank transfers. PayPal, Skrill, and PayNearMe are also available.
The most common withdrawal options are electronic funds transfer to your bank, PayPal, Skrill, and the Play+ prepaid debit card. Most sportsbooks do not process withdrawals to credit and debit cards.
North Carolina Casinos
There are three NC casinos. Two are in western North Carolina. Each is branded as Harrah’s and operated by Caesars Entertainment. One is Harrah’s Cherokee in the city of Cherokee. It is the oldest and largest NC casino. The other property is Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River, which is just east of Murphy, which is about an hour west of the main casino. The Caesars Rewards card is used at both properties.
These two Harrah’s casinos offer unusual games that are not found at other gaming establishments. Minimum table game bets start at $15. There is a 32-table poker room at Harrah’s Cherokee. A poker room is under construction at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. It is expected to open in the spring of 2024.
The newest casino in the state is Catawba Two Kings. It is southwest of Charlotte. Catawba Two Kings is all machines. There are slots and electronic table games. Video poker is not available. The electronic table games are baccarat, blackjack, craps, and roulette. These are dealt on about 50 stadium stations. Live table games are expected to arrive at Catawba Two Kings later in 2024.
The two Harrah’s casinos offer a Caesars Sportsbook with a betting counter which is open two shifts a day. Catawba Two Kings has IGT sports betting kiosks. Live ticket writers are not available at Catawba Two Kings. Players must be at least 21 years old at all NC casinos.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is legal in North Carolina. Tribal casinos may offer off-track betting. However, none of the gaming establishments have it. There are no plans for mobile betting apps to offer it, either.
North Carolina Lottery
North Carolina was a little late to the state lottery game. The bill was signed into law on August 31, 2005. The first tickets were sold on March 30, 2006. Standard scratch-off tickets and lotto games are available. Drawings include Pick 3, Pick 4, Cash 5, Lucky For Life, Keno, Mega Millions, and Powerball.
The NC Lottery sells online tickets. Lotto drawing tickets are available on its iOS and Android apps. There are more than a dozen online instant games. Prices start at $0.05 and go up to $30. Online instant games are scratched off virtually. Think of them as online slot machines.
Charitable Gaming
The typical charity games are legal in North Carolina. This includes bingo and raffles. The minimum age is 18 for these games.
Sweepstakes Gaming
North Carolina had legal video poker until 2007. Businesses were permitted to have up to three machines until 2005. That number was lowered to two until 2006 when it dropped to one. In 2007, all video poker was forced to leave the state unless it was at Harrah’s Cherokee. During this era, the maximum prize permitted for payouts was $10. It could not be cash. Only gift cards and merchandise were allowed. This was ignored by the video poker machine owners who often paid cash to winners.
Video poker was banned to make room for the state lottery. Former machine operators found a way around this law by creating sweepstakes machines. Players bought internet time on computers and were awarded free games of video poker and slots. It was a creative way around the law. The state legislature banned one version and a new one would appear. To this day, North Carolina fights sweepstakes devices.
FAQ for NC Sports Betting
Is sports betting legal in North Carolina?
Yes, sports betting is legal in the state of North Carolina. This includes retail sportsbooks at the three tribal casinos and statewide mobile betting.
Is mobile sports betting legal in North Carolina?
Online sports betting became legal in North Carolina on March 11, 2024.
What’s the legal sports betting age in North Carolina?
The legal sports betting age in North Carolina is 21 years of age.
Who runs the retail sportsbooks in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, retail sports betting operates through Native American tribes. There are currently just three options. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians operates a pair of Caesars Sportsbooks and Catawba Nation offers IGT kiosks at Two Kings Casino.
Can you bet on college sports in North Carolina?
Betting on college sports is allowed at retail sportsbooks in North Carolina without restrictions. This includes both retail and online.