Like the majority of southern states, North Carolina has restrictive gaming laws. North Carolina gambling laws ban commercial casinos, online poker, sports betting, and pari-mutuel wagers. Two Native American casinos exist, while charitable gambling is widespread. North Carolina is somewhat more progressive than most of its immediate neighbors, so it should come as no surprise that it allows an idiosyncratic form of gambling: Beach Bingo.
While North Carolina bans many forms of gaming, it does give nods to residents who like to gamble. Punishments for illegal gambling are light, while the laws do not spell out what a game of chance is. There are exceptions, such as the energetic enforcement of Internet sweepstakes cafes in the past ten years. Local police do raid the illegal cyber-cafes at a brisk rate, so that many Internet sweepstakes cafes which once operated no longer exist.
North Carolina’s lawmakers never regulated online sportsbooks, but residents still deposit money in offshore online bookmaker sites. Law enforcement doesn’t prosecute online sports betting by individuals, so it is legal on a de facto basis.
The best online sportsbook for North Carolina gamblers is Bovada. When you make a first deposit, you’ll receive a $250 welcome bonus. Members can place bets on all the major types of wagers: single bets, future bets, prop bets, parlays, teasers, and round robin bets. Bovada posts weekly odds for NASCAR’s Monster Energy Series, including weekly wagers on Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Brad Keselowski.
North Carolina has not legalized and regulated online casinos, but offshore online casino operators accept play from North Carolina residents. This activity is not punished by North Carolina law enforcement.
Ignition Casino is the top online casino for players in North Carolina. When you make a first deposit at Ignition Casino, you’ll receive a maximum $2000 welcome bonus. Try over 400 video slots, including newer games like Heavyweight Gold, Jack the Ripper, or Jenny Nevada and the Diamond Temple.
North Carolina does not have licensed online poker sites. Instead, NC poker players sign up and deposit money in offshore online cardrooms. This activity is not prosecuted by North Carolina law enforcement officials.
The best online poker room for North Carolina players is Bovada. Bovada offers a $500 poker bonus on your first deposit using any banking method. Players have access to a huge range of daily events, including SNGs, jackpot sit & go’s, turbo tournaments, monster stack events, and cash games. Weekly events include the $2500 freerolls, the $150 guaranteed poker tournament, and the $100k guaranteed tournament for high rollers.
Online gambling in not legalized and regulated, but gamblers play at offshore online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks. North Carolina law enforcement does not prosecute online bettors, either. That being said, most NC officials would say there’s a ban on online gambling. As a Bible Belt state, North Carolina restricts most forms of gambling.
The Tarheel State does have two tribal casinos and the North Carolina Education Lottery, which was passed by then-Gov. Mike Easley in 2005 when he signed the North Carolina State Lottery Act and the 2005 Appropriations Act. The bill barely passed, because then-Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue had to cast a tie-breaking vote in the state senate to place the bill on Gov. Easley’s desk.
Lottery bettors and charitable bingo gamblers in North Carolina must be 18 years old or older. If you wish to gamble in a land-based casino, you’ll need to be 21 years or older. Online gamblers must be 18 years or older.
As a Bible Belt state, North Carolina restricts most forms of gambling. The Tarheel State does have two tribal casinos and the North Carolina Education Lottery, which was passed by then-Gov. Mike Easley in 2005 when he signed the North Carolina State Lottery Act and the 2005 Appropriations Act. The bill barely passed, because then-Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue had to cast a tie-breaking vote in the state senate to place the bill on Gov. Easley’s desk.
The North Carolina Education Lottery places 100% of all funds in state’s education, including school construction, transportation costs, college financial aids, pre-school for at-risk 4-year old children, and salaries for educational support staff. Sixty percent is paid out in prize, while 29% goes to the education fund and 4% to general lottery expenses. The remaining 7% is collected by the lottery ticket vendors and retailers.
Other than Indian casinos and the state lottery, only two other forms of gambling are legal: charitable gambling and “beach bingo”. Charitable bingo and raffles are organized by nonprofit organizations across the state, much like you’ll find in dozens of other US states. Beach Bingo is a form of gaming relatively unique to North Carolina. It is a form of inexpensive bingo ($10 or less) which licensed operators can run. Beach bingo targets tourists on the North Carolina beaches along the Atlantic Ocean coastline.
Except as provided in Chapter 18C of the General Statutes or in Part 2 of this Article, any person or 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.
Illegal gambling is a Class B misdemeanor in North Carolina. Interestingly, organizing an illegal game is a misdemeanor, where it is a felony in many states. Also, North Carolina’s statutes give little direction on what constitutes a “game of chance”. Residents should understand that the stakes are not high and a crime is ill-defined, but North Carolina restricts legal gambling to only a few activities. If it’s not in a lottery vendor, Indian casino, bingo hall, or beach, it’s illegal.
Yes, North Carolina has two land-based Indian casinos, located in the cities of Cherokee and Murphy.
Yes, North Carolina has two land-based Indian casinos, located in the cities of Cherokee and Murphy. Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation and managed by Caesars Entertainment (Harrah’s). It has three times as many slot machines and gaming tables as the Murphy casino, along with a poker room.
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy is a much smaller operation, but it still has more than enough gaming tables (65) and slot machines (1200) to serve the people of southwestern North Carolina. While the main Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, the Valley River Casino is accessible to visitors from Chattanooga, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia.
No. North Carolina does not have any horse tracks or dog tracks. Pari-mutuel betting is illegal in the state.
No. North Carolina does not have any horse tracks or dog tracks. Pari-mutuel betting is illegal in the state.
No. North Carolina does not have any off-track betting facilities (OTBs). Simulcasting and pari-mutuel wagers have no place in North Carolina.
No. North Carolina does not have any off-track betting facilities (OTBs). Simulcasting and pari-mutuel wagers have no place in North Carolina.
Yes. The state has a lot of charitable gambling organizations.
Yes. The state has a lot of charitable gambling organizations. You’ll find bingo halls in many of the small towns and mid-sized cities of North Carolina. On the beaches, you’ll find about 200 licensed operators of Beach Bingo.
Beach Bingo requires its operators to offer prizes no greater than $10 in cash. If non-cash prizes are offered, they cannot be exchanged for cash and they must not be more than $10 in value. If you see someone running a bingo game on the beach, you might ask to see their license, but it’s probably legal.
No. North Carolina has not carve-out for private or social gaming.
No. North Carolina has not carve-out for private or social gaming. Players who host a private poker game are breaking the law even if they don’t charge a rake.
Social gaming sites are allowed. Zynga, Double Down Casino, and Big Fish Games are playable social casinos.
Also, Caesars Entertainment has a big presence in North Carolina, so several Caesars-affiliated social casinos are available: Slotomania, Caesars Slots, and Bingo Blitz. The MyVegas app, which is MGM Resorts’ mobile gaming app, is also available. MyVegas allows a player to receive MGM rewards points for play on the free casino.
