North Carolina Online Betting Sites
Written by: Daniel Collins
Last Updated: Thu Feb 13, 2025, 5:57 am ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
North Carolina has a rich history with sports in its state, especially when it comes to college sports. When it comes to gambling, however, the local availability does not match up with the general feeling around sports or other gaming.
This page will serve as a reference point on all the gambling aspects in North Carolina today and what changes if any residents could see in coming years.
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Sports Betting in North Carolina
There is a rabid sports fan base in North Carolina, which is not entirely surprising when you realize that it is a hotbed for college sports. With this in mind, it is no surprise that there was a lot of excitement when PASPA was repealed in May 2018.
Early indications were that the state would be one of the first to pass regulations allowing local sports betting. However, the North Carolina government took a more measured approach, preferring to wait until 2019 to start on any legislation.
The end result of the conservative approach was a two-pronged approach to sports betting.
First, the governor signed off on a bill in July 2019 that would allow the Cherokee Tribe, which has a monopoly on local casino gambling in the state, to be able to open sportsbooks on their properties.
The state then also approved a study into a full expansion of gambling across the state, including adding more sports betting options.
Online Sports Betting
As part of the Cherokee sports betting approval, there was no accommodation made for online sports betting.
One would have to assume this would be part of the expansion of gaming statewide that the government is looking into. However, with no timeline for a bill of that nature being introduced and passed, sports bettors in North Carolina will not have any regulated mobile options anytime soon.
This leaves gamblers with only the option of offshore sportsbooks as a safe and reliable means for making their bets.
Here is a list of the best options available:
Horse Betting in North Carolina
Well here is an interesting twist – it is legal to race horses in North Carolina, but you aren't allowed to bet on them locally.
This does seem as though it is a bit confusing of a stand to take on the sport – why run the races in the first place if there isn't going to be betting on them? At any rate, this is how it sits for now, and it doesn't look like there is any chance of that changing.
Online Horse Betting
Most states do not have online horse betting regulated for their own tracks, but in those cases, players can find solace in one of the many online sites that are licensed by foreign gaming authorities and still are able to take players from the USA.
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Casino Gambling in North Carolina
The state has taken a very conservative approach to casino gambling as well, despite the fact that other states hurried to make compacts with tribal nations so that hey could offer casinos.
This didn't happen in North Carolina until the mid-1990s, and even then the first "casino" parlor wasn't allowed to have table games. It took all the way until 2012 before there was an agreement to extend the gaming laws to include table games, and finally, there is a full casino in the state.
Online Casinos in North Carolina
The planned expansion of gambling as a whole in North Carolina gave some hope to those who like to play online casino games. With only two licensed casinos in the state, getting to them to play slots and table games isn't easy for many residents.
However, it doesn't appear that online casino is on the radar as part of the initial study into the gambling expansion, so fans of the digital versions of their favorite casino games may have to wait a while longer before they can pick up their phones and play.
After sports betting launches in the state, and specifically online and mobile channels, it isn't a stretch to think that North Carolina would extend the licensing to include casino and poker.
The revenue numbers coming from states that have already allowed these games, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, will help strengthen the argument from those who want to see the landscape changed.
Lottery in North Carolina
Good news! The lottery is open for business and vibrant in North Carolina. The North Carolina Education Lottery was established in the late 1980s, and as the name suggests, the proceeds from lottery games in the state go to help fund educational programs across the state.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been generated over the years from draw games like Powerball and also from the hundreds of different scratch ticket available at retailers.
Whether you want the instant gratification of winning a scratch game or want to win the life-changing money of a massive draw, the North Carolina Lottery has you covered.
North Carolina Online Betting FAQ
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