State of Play in North Carolina
Sports Betting in North Carolina
Retail sports betting is legal in North Carolina. There are two Caesars Sportsbooks in the western part of the state, both located at tribal casinos operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Online sports betting isn’t yet approved, but legalization has been a major topic of discussion in the North Carolina legislature.
Online casinos and poker aren’t legal in North Carolins. Daily fantasy sports sites are available in the state, operating in a gray area.
Sportsbooks in North Carolina
Q&A
- Can I bet on college sports in North Carolina? Yes, it is legal to wager on college sports in the state of North Carolina, and that includes betting on in-state teams. Some states have completely outlawed betting on college events, but that is not the case in the Tar Heel State.
- Does DraftKings offer fantasy games in North Carolina? Yes, residents of North Carolina can sign up for a DFS account at DraftKings. The state of North Carolina has not created any specific laws to regulate DFS sites, but it’s perfectly legal for these sites to accept players from the state.
- Are there any mobile betting apps in North Carolina? No, there are no mobile betting apps in North Carolina, but that could change at some point. Lawmakers will first have to change the current laws regarding sports betting before any of these mobile apps can be offered.
- Is DraftKings offering sports betting apps in North Carolina? No, DraftKings is not offering any form of sports betting in the state of North Carolina. DraftKings is one of the market leaders in the U.S. sports betting industry, but North Carolina is not ready to open things up to outside operators. If rules are changed, then DraftKings could eventually offer a mobile sports betting app.
- Can I bet anonymously at North Carolina legal betting sites? No, this isn’t even an option since there are no mobile betting options in the state. All the betting must be done in person at one of the two casinos with a sportsbook set up.
Methodology
North Carolina Online Betting
North Carolina is a retail-betting-only state, at least for now. The state looked like it was poised to legalize mobile sports betting in the summer of 2022, but a tenuous deal fell through at the eleventh hour, and the North Carolina sports betting legislation fell short by a single vote.
The legislation, SB 688, would have created 10-12 online sports betting licenses with a modest tax rate of 8%. A second bill, SB 38, would have raised the tax rate to 14%.
North Carolina borders two states, Tennessee and Virginia, that offer online sports betting. For residents of North Carolina that want to wager online, traveling across state borders is the only way to do so for now.
If North Carolina chooses to legalize online sports betting, the bill will likely include remote registration. This will allow customers to sign up for an account remotely rather than being forced to visit a retail sportsbook.
Retail Sportsbooks In North Carolina
Retail sports betting is live in North Carolina, but it is only available at the two tribal casinos in the state. No commercial casino properties currently operate in the state.
The Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and the Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel host the state’s pair of retail sportsbooks. Both land-based books offer wagering under the Caesars brand.
The Catawba Tribe is currently building a new casino, and sports betting will also be available at that location. While lawmakers are still working on new sports betting bills, adding a third tribal casino retail location will increase the sports betting handle numbers in the state.
One unique feature of retail sports betting in North Carolina is that no state gaming commission regulates sports betting. Instead, the Cherokee Tribe has its gaming commission, which is the group that controls the sports betting scene.
North Carolina DFS Sites
Daily Fantasy Sports sites operate in a gray area in North Carolina. The state has never passed a law to legalize this industry formally, but it’s also never ruled DFS sites to be illegal either.
Other states have taken a similar stance to the industry, and DFS operators can currently accept players from North Carolina. However, the state then doesn’t receive any tax money from the revenue, and it has no control over what sites appear or the casino games.
If North Carolina passes a law allowing for mobile sports betting, the law could include the language to regulate DFS sites. This might limit the number of DFS operators in North Carolina, but it would provide more revenue for the state.
Best Sports Betting Alternatives In North Carolina
Top Sports Betting Alternatives in North Carolina
Top Sports Betting Alternatives in North Carolina
Salary Cap DFS Sites
The most common DFS option is sites that offer salary cap games. This is really how the DFS industry started, and two sites continue to lead the way in this space.
DraftKings and FanDuel have built up a massive rivalry in online fantasy sports, and each site is accepting players from the state of North Carolina. Other sites may offer salary cap games, but it will continue to be DraftKings and FanDuel that lead the way.
Salary cap games require customers to select a roster based on all available players for that sport. An entry fee is required, and then the money is handed out from a prize pool based on the results.
DraftKings and FanDuel both offer a mobile app, making it much easier to play these games from a mobile device. In addition, signing up for an account can be done in minutes, and there is no requirement to be a resident of North Carolina to sign up.
Fantasy Player Prop Games
When it comes to fantasy player prop games in North Carolina, Monkey Knife Fight has emerged as a leader in this industry. Monkey Knife Fight was named the Fantasy Operator of the Year in 2020, and it continues to carve out a significant path in the U.S. industry.
Player prop games are similar to prop betting at the sportsbook, but the payouts are much different. Instead of making a wager against the sportsbook, there are various options.
Monkey Knife Fight and similar sites offer a wide range of betting options, and there are many different sports included. Customers can choose from the provided games and pick what contests they want to enter.
Most of the sites that offer player prop games in North Carolina are online, and there aren’t any mobile apps available. Signing up for an account must be done online. The bettor can do their banking from there.
Best Ball Games
Since North Carolina doesn’t require DFS sites to apply for a license, every operator can accept customers from the state. However, when it comes to sites that offer the best ball games, Underdog Fantasy has emerged as one of the top options.
Best ball is similar to salary cap DFS games, but these contests can last for an entire week or season. The site will also take back some control as it will choose the best lineup for you based on your roster.
The most significant advantage of using a site such as Underdog Fantasy is a much smaller pool of players. As a result, the payouts might be smaller, but the chance to win can be more significant.
Is Online Poker Legal In North Carolina?
Poker is a legal game in North Carolina offered at the state’s tribal casinos. However, North Carolina does not offer online poker at this time.
The EBCI has not made a push to offer online poker, and there are no commercial casinos in North Carolina to lobby for this either.
Online poker is the slowest growing iGaming option in the United States, only offered in a handful of states.
Are Online Casino Sites Legal In North Carolina?
North Carolina lawmakers have never even attempted to pass a bill that would legalize online casino gambling in the state.
Since there are no commercial casinos in North Carolina, an extra step will be required before online casinos launch. First, the state will have to determine who can offer online casino gambling and how those licenses will work.
Online casino gambling is the next logical step after online sports betting sites launch, but there is still a long battle ahead for that form of online gambling. The state hasn’t expressed strong opposition to online casino gambling, but lawmakers haven’t seriously discussed online casino legalization yet.
Best Sports Betting Alternatives In North Carolina
Top Sports Betting Alternatives in North Carolina
Top Sports Betting Alternatives in North Carolina
How Do I Know That Online Gambling Sites In North Carolina Are Fair?
The only online gambling sites in North Carolina at this time are daily fantasy sports sites, and the state doesn’t even regulate those.
When it comes to the DFS sites, you can count on brands like DraftKings and FanDuel to offer fair games. These sites have been around for many years and continue to get new customers each week.
If launched in North Carolina, online sportsbooks and online casinos would have to follow all state rules and regulations. These rules will keep these sites fair for all customers, but it doesn’t mean that winning will be easy.
Who Regulates Legal Online Sportsbooks In North Carolina?
North Carolina doesn’t have a traditional gaming commission because there are no commercial gaming options. However, the Cherokee Tribe offers a pair of casinos and all sports betting forms.
The Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission is in charge of regulating the current casinos, and the sportsbooks are a part of that as well. However, this will change if legal sports betting options become available, as the state will have to set up a gaming commission to regulate online sportsbooks.
Any new sports betting law will have to come with language to get this established.
Why Should I Trust Legal Online Sportsbooks?
Although there are no legal online sportsbooks at this time in North Carolina, bettors in the state should avoid offshore sportsbooks to place wagers online.
If and when legal online sportsbooks come to North Carolina, there are several reasons to trust them. The most important reason to trust these is that North Carolina will permit and regulate them.
The sites will protect your personal information, and the sites will send the payments back and forth. In addition, because these sites will be regulated, the odds and betting lines will be fair to the customer.
How Do I Get Paid If I Win?
The fact that the bettor must do all the betting in person makes this pretty easy to figure out. You will request payment inside the casino after you have won some money in person.
If online betting launches in North Carolina, players will enjoy access to several different options for remote withdrawals. These options could include PayPal, ACH/eCheck, prepaid cards, etc.