North Carolina Online Sports Betting Launch: When Can You Legally Bet?
When Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 last year, the countdown was officially on. Legal sports betting was coming to North Carolina, and fans across the state began to anxiously await an official announcement as to when legal betting would launch.
It took a long time to get an official date, but it finally happened: legal North Carolina sports betting is officially launching at 12 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024.
Looking for what else bettors in the Tar Heel state need to know about the launch? We've got you covered.
Can You Legally Bet on Sports in North Carolina?
That depends on what you're talking about — are you looking to bet online/on your phone, or in person?
Online
Not yet. While the signing of HB 347 meant that legal online betting was coming to North Carolina, it didn't mean betting was immediately legal. That noon kickoff on March 11 will be the first moment that sports betting is legal in the state.
Retail/in-Person
In-person betting at retail sportsbooks is already legal in North Carolina, and has been since March 18, 2021. The bill for legalizing retail sportsbooks was signed on July 26, 2019, and it took nearly two years before the first bet was placed.
Where Can You Bet on Sports in North Carolina?
After the March launch, you can bet wherever you have an internet connection. But until then, there are only three places in the state that you can place legal sports bets:
- Harrah's Cherokee (Caesars Sportsbook): Cherokee, NC
- Harrah's Cherokee Valley River (Caesars Sportsbook): Murphy, NC
- Catawba Two Kings Casino (Catawba Two Kings Sportsbook): Kings Mountain, NC
What Sportsbooks Operate in North Carolina?
As mentioned above, the list of legal sportsbooks in North Carolina will remain very short until March. In fact, the list is even shorter than the list of places you can bet, since the same sportsbook operates at two of the locations. Your options are:
- Caesars Sportsbook (at Harrah's Cherokee or Harrah's Cherokee Valley River)
- Catawba Two Kings Sportsbook (at Catawba Two Kings Casino)
But most of the other big players are expected to join the party on the online launch date, while none will have retail locations. The list of expected sportsbooks is as follows:
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- Caesars Sportsbook
- ESPN BET
- Bet365
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- Underdog Sports
What Other Types of Gambling are Legal in North Carolina?
Sports betting isn't your only option for wagering in North Carolina, with options for sports fans and gamblers alike.
- Casino: The three tribal casinos listed above (Harrah's Cherokoee, Harrah's Cherokee Valley River and Catawba Two Kings Casino) are all legal casino options with the slot machines and typical table games that you'd expect. Online casinos are not legal.
- Poker: Like the casino options, you must be at a physical location to play legal poker in North Carolina. Online poker is not allowed, but all three legal casinos offer poker.
- Horse Racing: There are no legal horse racing tracks in North Carolina. Off-track betting, however, is legal. Like sports betting and other gambling, this can only be done at the three legal casinos.
- Daily Fantasy Sports: FanDuel and DraftKings both operate Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) offerings in North Carolina. This hasn't been explicitly legalized, however because there are no laws prohibiting DFS, it is not technically illegal and can be done online.