States / North Carolina / Sports betting
Is sports betting legal in North Carolina?
Yes. In North Carolina, online and in-person sports betting are legal (as of Oct 11, 2026). Online betting launched Mar 11, 2024; in-person betting Mar 2021. Operators pay 18% GGR in tax.
| Channel | Status | Launched | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports (online) | Live | Mar 11, 2024 | Competitive | Up to 12 interactive sports wagering operator licenses contemplated at passage; a later 2023 amendment required online operators to hold a written designation agreement with an in-state sports team/facility/governing body, narrowing the practical field. As of Oct. 2026 the Lottery Commission's approved-licensee list shows 7 interactive operators (FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings/Crown NC, Fanatics, bet365, theScore Bet, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians' tribal gaming enterprise). N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 18C-901 et seq. [1],[2],[3] |
| Sports (retail) | Live | Mar 2021 | Hybrid | A 2019 law let tribal gaming compacts be amended to add retail sportsbooks; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened the first retail sportsbook in 2021, Catawba Nation followed in 2022. The 2023 law (effective Jan. 2024) additionally authorizes retail wagering at 8 designated professional sports venues. N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 18C, Article 9 [1],[4] |
Tax rate
| Rate | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 18% GGR (total) | Jan 8, 2024 | Rate applies uniformly to interactive (online) and retail sports wagering operators' gross wagering revenue; "gross wagering revenue" (§ 18C-901(7)) is wagers less winnings paid, before expense/fee/tax deductions, i.e. no separate promo deduction identified.[5] |
| 18% GGR (retail) | Jan 8, 2024 | Same combined online/retail 18% rate as sports_online above; the statute taxes "gross wagering revenue" uniformly regardless of channel, covering both tribal retail sportsbooks (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Catawba Nation) and the 8 designated professional-sports-venue retail locations authorized effective Jan. 2024.[5] |
Rules
- Minimum age to place a sports wager
- 21[3]
- Wagering on college sports allowed at all
- Yes[3]
- Micro-betting / in-play single-event outcomes allowed
- Yes · In-game/in-play and proposition wagers are included in the statutory definition of sports wagering (§ 18C-901(19)).[3]
- Online sports wagering available statewide (not tethered to premises)
- Yes[3]
- Operators must use official league data for some bets
- No · § 18C-914(c) does not require official league data for certain tier-one results or non-U.S. organization tier-two wagers.[3]
- Summary of prop-bet restrictions (e.g. no in-game player props)
- Wagers on injuries, penalties/disciplinary outcomes, and replay-review results are barred (§ 18C-902(d)(2)).[3]
Licensed sportsbooks
| Operator | Brand | Channel | Status | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bet365 | bet365 | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
| BetMGM | BetMGM | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
| Caesars Entertainment | Caesars Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
| DraftKings | DraftKings Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
| Fanatics Betting and Gaming | Fanatics Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
| FanDuel | FanDuel Sportsbook | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
| PENN Entertainment | theScore Bet | Sports (online) | active | Mar 11, 2024[2],[3] |
All gambling laws in North Carolina → · Sports betting in every state →
Sources
- Gambling in North Carolina · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Approved Licensees · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- N.C. General Statutes, Chapter 18C, Article 9 — Sports Wagering · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- North Carolina State Lottery Commission — Gaming · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- N.C. General Statutes § 105-113.126 — Tax on sports wagering · retrieved Oct 10, 2026