Residents and visitors of the Tar Heel State appear to be stuck in the mud when it comes to having access to legal online sports betting.
A bid to have online wagering place in time for 2022 stalled out in the spring, making 2023 the earliest that North Carolinans will have access to legal mobile betting. Despite seeing support from Governor Roy Cooper, Bill HB 688 has a few more hurdles to clear before it is signed into law.
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Caesars is proving to be one of the most aggressively expanding brands in sports betting. Unfortunately, like all major U.S. sportsbooks, they are quick to limit you if you go on a tear and their odds boost promos offer low maximum bet limits.
BetMGM is one of the top-rated sportsbooks in the U.S. offering some of the best live betting odds in the industry. They’re also the largest iGaming operator across the U.S.
FanDuel reigns supreme right now as the No. 1 betting site in America. And it has largely earned that spot on the strength of superior brand recognition, an easy-to-use product, an overwhelming number of markets for North Americaβs most popular sports, and representation in every state in which it is permitted to offer legal sports betting.
DraftKings had a solid reputation as the leading DFS provider in the country, so the shift to legal sports betting felt natural. They offer one of the most voluminous collections of ongoing promos and odds boosts in the industry as they cater to the beginner crowd. However, their reputation has dwindled as outspoken CEO Jason Robins leads the charge of the anti-profitable bettor mentality that runs rampant amongst sportsbooks that are quick to limit winning players.
bet365 is one of the largest and most popular sportsbooks globally. With a well-received mobile app, popular same-game parlays, and a wide variety of sports leagues to bet on itβs no wonder 80 million sports bettors worldwide continue to use bet365.
Online since: 2015
PointsBet’s innovative nature shows that they don’t want to just be another book you place typical bets. Unfortunately, they are quick to limit bettors on a hot streak and limit the number of promos you’re able to take advantage of, making it necessary for you to shop at other books regularly.
With a large variety of ongoing promos and contests featuring Barstool personalities, Barstool Sportsbook is a solid option available for casual bettors.
While this book won’t wow you with its design, you won’t find many apps easier to navigate – or with the sheer volume of sports markets Betway offers. And although you'll find more generous signup offers elsewhere, Betway remains a strong global sports betting brand that deserves to be mentioned among the second-tier sportsbook options in the U.S.
North Carolina hasn’t yet approved online sports betting within the state borders, though the current level of support for HB 688 has lawmakers optimistic that wagering will be regulated early in 2023.
When North Carolina does join the ever-growing list of states with legal sports betting, it appears that the state will accommodate up to 12 online operators; you can expect all the major players in the U.S. sports betting space to be in the mix, with FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Caesars among them. And we’ll be there with our list of the top online sportsbooks to consider.
The addition of mobile sports betting in NC will mean bonuses and offers galore for anyone making wagers within state lines. We encourage everyone to maximize their bonus and offer exposure, since many of these first-time inducements result in real cash landing in sports bettors’ accounts, with little playthrough required (for the most part).
π Launch Date | TBD |
π° # of Betting Sites | 0 |
π± Online Sports Betting | β No |
π° Retail Sports Betting | β Yes |
π₯οΈ Online Casino | β No |
π Retail Casino | β Yes |
π College Sports Betting | β No |
π 2022 Population (est.) | 10.67 million |
πΈ Tax Rate | TBD |
When sports betting is legalized in NC, you can consult our top list for the best sports betting options available to you. Our interactive list will allow you to sort sportsbooks based on a number of criteria, including banking options, bonuses and quality of customer service.
If you’re looking for more information before making your choice, be sure to check out our detailed, unbiased reviews for each of the top sportsbooks in North Carolina once sports betting is legalized. This is especially important if you want to understand how each book’s bonus offers work.
Registration requirements will vary slightly by sportsbook, but most follow the same protocols. Be sure to have your personal information (name, address, phone number) and credit card details (number, expiry date, CVV) handy.
Once you’re comfortable with how your sportsbook’s new signup bonus works, it will be time to make your initial deposit and claim that sweet bonus. The majority of first-time offers for North Carolina residents should come in one of two forms:
Congratulations! You’re ready to place a wager. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the app interface before diving in. Most mobile operators make it easy for new sports bettors to navigate, but it’s still a good idea to know where everything is.
From there, you can place any type of wager you like; the most popular bet types are the moneyline, spread or total. You can also dive into team or player props, or even kick things off with a futures bet.
Once you have the desired wager(s) in your betting card, take one last look to ensure you’ve made the selections you want. If everything is good, simply click the “Bet” button – and you’re off!
For as quickly as North Carolina implemented its first piece of sports betting legislation, it’s surprising to many that online regulations still aren’t in place.
Alas, North Carolina residents and visitors will need to wait a while longer before they’re permitted to wager via phone. Bill HB 688 stalled in committee and didn't pass before the late June cutoff, pushing the discussion until 2023 at the earliest.
Here’s a look at North Carolina’s sports betting history:
Just over a year after the U.S. Supreme Court repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act – paving the way for states to approve legal sports betting – North Carolina went to work.
Governor Roy Cooper signed S 154 into law in late-July, legalizing retail sports betting within the states. Tribal lands were the only areas authorized to provide sports betting, with the Eastern Band of Cherokee considered the only eligible tribe at the time.
The new year saw a dispute between the Eastern Band of Cherokee and the Catawba Nation, which had been approved to build a casino in Kings Mountain.
After months of negotiations that began in March 2020, Cooper entered into gaming compacts with both tribes, allowing each to offer most forms of gambling – including sports betting.
Once Cooper reached agreements with both tribes, the Eastern Band of Cherokee moved quickly to get legal sports betting venues in place – and landed a partnership with Caesars, which opened sportsbooks at two Harrah’s casinos on March 18.
That kickstarted a wild four-week stretch during which the Catawba Nation’s gaming compact was approved by the federal government, a judge green-lit Catawba’s request for a Kings Mountain casino, and bill SB 688 was introduced.
Yet, while both the House and the Senate approved the bill, it would still need to pass through three more committees before it could be signed into law.
While SB 688 continued to be fine-tuned – highlighted by the decision to make sports betting in the state controlled by the lottery – legislators expressed optimism that the bill would be approved in plenty of time for the start of football season.
Yet, despite having been approved by the House and Senate a year earlier, it did not make it through the approval process before the end of the 2022 legislative session.
Like most states, North Carolina has put safeguards in place to ensure that bettors have a way out of any potential trouble spots.
The North Carolina Council on Problem Gaming offers instant access to programs that help with gambling addiction. Visitors can reach out to any number of resources from the site, including Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon and mental health services.
Visit the North Carolina Council on Problem Gaming site.
It will come as no surprise to see a rather extensive list of major professional and amateur sports available to North Carolina bettors – a list that includes (but is not limited to):
That doesn’t leave much off the table, but there are three major markets in which wagering in North Carolina is prohibited:
North Carolina might be known as a basketball hotbed, but we shouldn't ignore the fact that fans unwaveringly support the local pro football and hockey franchises, as well.
Here’s a look at the two major professional franchises that play their home games in North Carolina:
The Panthers should be an interesting betting target ahead of the 2022 NFL season, with quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold both looking to salvage their respective careers. Don't be surprised to see major sportsbooks line up to affiliate themselves with the Panthers and Bank of America Stadium; expect at least one official betting partner, and plenty of signage agreements, as well.
As the only non-NFL professional sports franchise in North Carolina, the Hurricanes should garner plenty of interest from sportsbook partners, as well. We've seen countless NBA and NHL arenas forge alliances with sports betting operators, resulting in signage agreements and construction or rebranding of bars and lounges with sports betting at the forefront.
While it might be a while yet before North Carolinians have the luxury of making sports wagers from their mobile devices, they at least have a physical location where they can place bets. Unfortunately for those who live in or near the state’s two most populous cities, NC’s two casino-based sportsbooks are nowhere close.
Here’s a list of the in-person sportsbooks available to those in North Carolina:
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Caesars Sportsbook, 777 Casino Dr., Cherokee, NC, 28719)
Harrrah’s Cherokee Valley River (Caesars Sportsbook, 777 Casino Pkwy, Murphy, NC, 28906)
While residents and visitors are able to bet at either of the state’s two retail sportsbooks, online sports wagering remains illegal until at least 2023.
You can create an account, deposit, make bets and withdraw in North Carolina, as long as you are at one of the two retail sportsbooks in the state.
Not presently at either of the state’s retail locations, though HB 688 contains language that would see esports considered a legal betting option within North Carolina.
The introduction of online sports betting in NC will represent a major milestone for sportsbook operators, with the Tar Heel State currently ranking ninth among U.S. states in population at 10.8 million (2022 estimate)
Bill HB 688 would require sports betting operators to pay an eight percent tax on gross gaming revenue.
While the North Carolina legal sports betting timeline is in flux right now, there isn’t much doubt as to which sportsbooks will likely launch first when the bill is finally passed. Caesars is a virtual shoe-in by virtue of operating the state’s two retail sportsbooks, while DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet are all likely suitors.