North Carolina Betting Sites: Legalities and Future Sports Betting Expansion

If you’re interested in finding the best betting sites North Carolina offers, but you aren’t sure what options are safe, you’re in just the right place. On this page, we’ve provided players with all of the information you need to know about legal sports betting options in North Carolina.

There is legal sports betting in North Carolina, however there currently aren’t any North Carolina betting sites which are licensed for remote or mobile gambling. As the state doesn’t take a hard line on sports betting as it is, it’s likely to see this change in the future, which we’ll explore in the following sections on current, future and alternative safe betting options.

What Betting Options are Legal for North Carolina Residents?

When it comes to making your start as a bettor in the state of North Carolina, you’ll want to ensure that you know the legal varieties of gambling in the state. There aren’t any legal North Carolina betting sites for sports or casino gaming. But thankfully in the absence of North Carolina online sports betting, there are two separate casinos which offer casino games and sports bets, plus a state lottery and horse racing.

Nearby States to North Carolina with Legal Sports Betting

Although there are plenty of betting options available in the state of North Carolina, it’s natural that some bettors may find the range of options somewhat limiting. If you’re feeling left out by the lack of North Carolina online sports betting and want to find an alternative, we’ve got you covered with these neighbouring states with legal online sports betting.

Here in the list below, we’ve provided some of the closest states to North Carolina which provide bettors with the ability to safely and legally partake in online sports betting. This means that players are able to simply hop the border and pay a visit to these eligible online sports betting locations.

What Would Legal Sports Betting in North Carolina Look Like

At this stage, it’s anybody’s guess what fully-fledged legal online sports betting in North Carolina will resemble. However, because there is already legal sports betting permitted on Native American casino locations in the state, it’s safer to assume that the state may take a more liberal approach to betting law in the future.

So what might this resemble? Well, the next step is for state legislators to allow for the distribution of online gambling licenses. It’s most likely that these will be given to pre-existing sportsbook operators in the state, in addition to some of the most popular online bookies in the USA. North Carolina betting sites will be regulated and safe for play.

On a legal North Carolina betting market, there are a few features that players are bound to encounter. For one, as players can already place bets on the likes of major leagues such as the NBA, MLB and the NFL, it’s fairly safe to say these will be available at the best betting sites North Carolina.

What are the North Carolina Gambling Laws

When it comes to ensuring that you keep in line with the relevant laws and regulations surrounding betting in the state of North Carolina, one of the most important things to know is the ins and outs of North Carolina gambling laws. Here, we’ve compiled information about some of the of its most fundamental aspects.

As mentioned prior, there are currently no North Carolina betting sites available in the state. Players who are over 21 can partake in casino and sports betting at any of the two land-based casinos in the state, but there are zero online casino or North Carolina sportsbook options provided in the state. These are fairly common stipulations compared to other US states.

When it comes to placing bets at North Carolina casinos, players are able to place bets on all of the classic and most sought-after casino bets like poker, table games, and slots. Another great addition to the range of betting options in the state of North Carolina is the ability to bet on racetrack events.

There are some specific limitations around betting on horses in North Carolina to heed, as players can only bet on horse races at specific sportsbook casinos. Players over the age of 18 are able to place bets on racetrack events, in addition to the state lottery and some forms of charitable gambling.

The N.C. legislature failed to pass an online sports betting bill when the House of Representatives voted 50-51 against Senate Bill 688 that would have permitted wagering apps. Bettors in North Carolina will have to hope that legislators have a change of heart when a new bill is presented to them in the near future.

History of Sports Betting and Gambling in the state of North Carolina

Just like with the majority of states across the USA, North Carolina has something of a complicated history when it comes to its relationship with sports betting and gambling law. That’s why we’ll try to clear things up a little bit with the following guide to the most important moments in the history of North Carolina sports betting law.

A lot happened in the lead up to the legalization of sports betting in North Carolina in 2021. Prior to this, the state held some austere perspectives on gambling availability. It was the very last state on the entire East Coast to open a legal state lottery. The government took efforts to nullify gambling in 1749, removing gambling debts above £100.

This was in effort to discourage continued gambling in the state, as it had become something of an economic and social issue. The authorities in the state thenceforth took a strict approach to all matters of gambling, and it outlawed every form of table game and card game by the 1800’s.

From this point onwards, it was almost 200 years until the next step along the lines of more progressive gambling options for the state of North Carolina. The state introduced its first legal and licensed casino in 1997. It wasn’t until 2006 that the state took steps to introduce its first fully-legal and statewide lottery.

After PASPA was overturned in 2018, sportsbooks were allowed to be licensed on a state by state basis. North Carolina allowed its two Indian casinos to provide sports betting in 2021, however it’s still looking like a little way away until players will see fully mobile gambling websites in North Carolina made accessible.

Since 2020, North Carolina residents could travel across the border into Tennessee to experience their newly launched online sports wagering. Perhaps after seeing the success of online sports betting in Tennessee, North Carolina could soon be launching their own online wagering.

What is the Future of Sports Betting in North Carolina

While there’s certainly no telling what the future holds, there are a few major signs which point in the right direction for future developments for North Carolina sports betting options. Lawmakers have been taking bills to propose for legal and regulated mobile sports betting in the state near-yearly, and it seems only a matter of time before this passes.

However, there are several legislators and lobby groups which are opposed to this development. As a result, players will still have to place sports bets from any of the North Dakota land-based casinos. State players are also welcome to visit any of the other legal sports betting states across the USA.

If and when the best betting sites in North Carolina arrive, you can rest assured we’ll be here to bring you all the information you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

As we wrap up our overview of North Carolina sports betting laws and gambling options in the state, we’re confident that readers who’ve explored the information on this page will be ready to make informed gaming decisions. If you have any remaining concerns, don’t worry – we’ve included the following list of frequently asked questions to set you in the right direction.

⚖️ Is online gambling and sports betting legal in North Carolina?

North Carolina is one of many states across the USA which has somewhat complex sports betting laws. This means that for players in the state, you’ll only be able to bet at Cherokee casinos. This includes placing bets on both sports and casino gambling games. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend visiting our section on land-based casinos.

🛡️ What is the North Carolina legal gambling age?

The North Carolina legal gambling age is 21 when it comes to casino and sports betting options. There are a few notable exceptions to this rule however. Players over the age of 18 are able to partake in the state lottery, and also can place bets on horse races in the state. Read up on the North Carolina gambling laws laws for more information. 

🚨 Are Offshore Sites such as MyBookie and Bovada legal and safe?

There’s no denying that the option to place offshore bets is an enticing premise when placing your bets within a state which doesn’t provide online sports betting like North Carolina. However, offshore betting sites aren’t licensed by state, so while they may be accessible, they aren’t technically legal or safe. We recommend learning more about legal betting markets here. 

🔎 Can I play at a North Carolina online sportsbook if I am not in the state?

When it comes to placing a sports bet online, you’ll want to ensure that you are playing on a site which is licensed in your state of play. That means that because there aren’t any North Carolina online sportsbooks yet, there are no options there. Players should also only place online bets in a legal region for that activity. Learn more about interstate gambling options here.