North Carolina Gambling & Betting 2021

Betting in North Carolina is legal, but the state hasn’t made any regulations for taking it online. You must be at least 21 years old to enter a casino in North Carolina owing to the law around the sale of alcohol, although the minimum age for lottery participation is 18.

Online Casino in North Carolina

As gambling at an online casino is illegal in North Carolina, you have to visit a land-based one instead. There are a few casinos in the state, mainly built on tribal land where regulations are different. The Catawba Two Kings Casino and Resort is under construction in North Carolina, which will increase options for players in the future. Across the current choice of casinos in the state, it is estimated that there are over 6,000 different slots and more than 220 spots to play table games. Bovada, one of the biggest casino brands in the USA, has a casino in Charlotte, North Carolina’s largest city.

Sports Betting in North Carolina

While sports betting is legal in North Carolina, that doesn’t extend to online sportsbooks. The state hasn’t ruled on legalizing those yet. That goes for mobile internet betting too. If you want to place a bet, then you need to visit one of the two tribal casinos in North Carolina which have licenses for this. These are Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino both in the southern part of the state. Betting on North Carolina’s major league sports teams which include NBA franchise Charlotte Hornets and the Carolina Panthers of the NFL are among popular options here.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened North Carolina’s first legal sportsbook.

Online Poker in North Carolina

With online poker wagering in North Carolina, the state hasn’t legalized this either. Without official regulation, you can’t do this over the internet as it’s against state law. However, poker players can play the game in person at one of the tribal casinos in North Carolina. The land on which these bricks and mortar casinos are located has different regulations governing them. As noted above, there are just a small number of these in the state, but poker is among the card and table games you can play at The Ole Fishing Hole in Asheboro, North Carolina. 

Daily Fantasy in North Carolina

As Daily Fantasy sports betting in North Carolina isn’t regulated by the state right now, it is illegal. However, leading operators maintain a presence here. The likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, Fantasy Draft, and Yahoo fantasy games are all active in North Carolina. Playing these games for fun with no money involved is one thing, and taking part in the parimutuel betting offered through them is another. The state’s position on Daily Fantasy may change, however, with regulations in place for this in more than 20 other US states.

Esports in North Carolina

In North Carolina, online gambling on esports is illegal. The state simply hasn’t ruled on regulating this particular area of betting just yet. Legalizing esports wagering in North Carolina may be on the agenda one day, though. The cautious approach taken mirrors the stance of other states in the USA.

Lottery in North Carolina

State-sponsored lottery betting in North Carolina is both legal and available online. The only authorized internet lottery wagering is through NCLottery.com, where you can play the NC Education Lottery. There is also a mobile app you can download which allows you to play and purchase lottery tickets digitally.

Horse Racing Betting in North Carolina

In North Carolina, it is legal to bet on horse racing but only in off-track tribal casinos which hold a gambling license. Leading online sportsbooks in America don’t accept players from the Tar Heel State, so you need to visit a tribal casino. North Carolina doesn’t have any major racetracks in it.

Want to know more about Borth Carolina gambling laws, taxes and development? Follow updates at statelaws.findlaw.com/north-carolina-law.html