North Carolina Online Sports Betting

North Carolina is one of the least gambling-friendly States in terms of its State Laws and legislation. What little gambling there is in the Tar Heel State takes place in only two Tribal casinos. However, those two Tribal Casinos do offer bricks-and-mortar sports betting, but the Tar Heel State is yet to find for the legalization of something akin to NJ online sports betting.

All that remains outside of the reservation is some charity gaming, and a few low-stakes bingo games. Even a state lottery wasn’t introduced for North Carolinians until as recently as 2006. On the upside, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) players will be excited to learn that DFS is offered to all residents and visitors to North Carolina.

In fact, with DFS legalization on the State House Agenda, the track record of North Carolina as one of progressive crack-downs on all forms of gambling might just be leading to a progressive liberalization of online sports betting.

North Carolina officially legalized sports betting in July 2019 after Governor Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 154 into law in the Tar Heel State.

SB 154 is quite limited in its application as it allows for limited sports and horse racing betting only, and only permitted at two tribal casinos from April 2021;

• Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino
• Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel

Online sports betting was not included in the sports wagering bill, however, even this baby step forward for sports wagering in North Carolina is an enormous advance. Remember, North Carolina has traditionally been in opposition to gambling expansions of any type, which means they are hopes for online sports wagering in the future.

In May 2021, Senators Jim Perry and Paul Lowe opened online sports betting legalization bill SB 688 seeking to overcome North Carolina’s hard-line approach to wagering on sports online

Only a few states in the nation have authorized legal gambling online and North Carolina is certainly not a member of the ‘legal sports betting online states’ club. North Carolina does not authorize or regulate on online sports betting laws at all.

As in many-other-states, North Carolina’s gambling laws take the approach of prohibiting and defining as illegal everything except for what is specifically authorized as legal. § 14-292 of the North Carolinian State Statutes explains the state’s position in crystal-clear wording;

‘Except as provided in Chapter 18C of the General Statutes or in Part 2 of this Article, any person organization that operates any game of chance or any person who plays at or bets on any game of chance at which any money, property or other thing of value is bet, whether the same be in stake or not, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. This section shall not apply to a person who plays at or bets on any lottery game being lawfully conducted in any state.’

Meanwhile, online players can play real money DFS competitions unhindered in the Tar Heel State.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) competitions have been ruled by Federal lawmakers in the United States not to be considered a form of gambling. Federal courts have determined DFS are skills-based games, not games of chance. As a result, under U.S. Federal law, states have been encouraged to declare their own individual positions on the legality of DFS competitions.

Lawmakers in North Carolina had long been non-committal on applying DFS legalization laws in the state, until 2017. At that time, Republican lawmakers introduced Bill HB 279 with a series of regulations attached to create a legal framework of DFS competition administration including;

• 10% tax on revenue,
• 10% tax on registration and license renewal every 5 years, and;
• A reapplication and relicensing process.

The bill was ultimately defeated, however, DFS laws are rescheduled for debate in the North Carolina House again in the near future. Watch this space for updates as the legalization process heats up.

Meanwhile, all major DFS sites accept customers from North Carolina and players resident in or visiting North Carolina can sign-up and play DFS competitions for real money without form of legal impediment.

With the exception of ‘legal-to-play’ DFS in North Carolina, online sports betting is generally unavailable, a position that still applies to eSports betting also for the time being. If-and-when sports betting becomes legal in the state of North Carolina, eSports betting will potentially become a popular new way for the state’s residents to win a few dollars, and the state treasury to earn some much-needed additional tax revenue.

What are eSports?

“What are eSports?” you ask.

‘eSports’ is video game play at the highest professional levels. Usually, played in team format (rather than individually), eSports is arguably the fastest growing betting phenomenon in the world today. Software game development companies of all the major electronic multi-player games (Starcraft II, Dota 2, Fortnite, Overwatch, and many others) have all launched their own pro leagues, and eSports competitions have been transformed into global betting events with the advent of live streaming technology. Developed sports betting markets around the world offer a range of betting markets across all major eSports tournaments.

Watch for our updates on the legalization of sports betting in North Carolina, to take part in legal eSports betting opportunities in the state.

Horse Racing has always been outlawed in North Carolina and greyhound racing had a brief dalliance as a legal gambling activity from 1939-to-1954.

North Carolina has two racetracks where greyhounds once raced, however, the North Carolina Supreme Court closed their doors permanently amid allegations that special privileges were given to a private company during the legal years.

As such, North Carolina’s state racing industry has been comatose ever since. There are no expectations to see North Carolina attempting to revive horse and greyhound betting in the near future.

Trackside Betting

There are no legal horse or greyhound racing tracks in North Carolina.

Horse racing tracks in New Mexico are also permitted to host slot and video poker machines in addition to their racing betting options.

Off Track Betting (OTB) in North Carolina

OTB betting is not offered in North Carolina.

Online Horse Racing in North Carolina

Online Horse Racing Betting is not offered in North Carolina. Please see above section ‘North Carolina Online Sports Betting Laws’ for further details.

For information on the state’s online casino, poker and racing laws visit our NC Gambling page