North Carolina Online Gambling
Legal North Carolina online gambling options are numerous despite the state’s historically restrictive stance on most forms of wagering.
Online sports betting, lottery sales, and advance deposit wagering are legal and regulated in North Carolina, while the state tolerates but does not regulate daily fantasy sports.
Online casinos and poker sites remain prohibited, but sweepstakes casinos serve as an unregulated alternative widely available in North Carolina.
Continue below for a comprehensive overview of the North Carolina online gambling landscape. This page details where each type of online gambling stands, who regulates it, and how to play responsibly.
Legal North Carolina Gambling Sites
21+ and present in NC. Gambling Problem? Call 877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov
North Carolina Online Gambling Overview
| Type of Gambling (minimum age) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under NC Gen Stat § 14-292 |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Legal Gray Area | Operate under US sweepstakes law; neither explicitly authorized nor prohibited |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under same statute that prohibits online casinos |
| Online Sports Betting (21+) | Legal/Regulated | Legal under NC Gen Stat § 18C-1902 |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Neither authorized nor prohibited; major operators active in NC |
| Fantasy Pick ’em Contests (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Accessible but faces uncertainty pending regulatory review |
| Online Lottery Sales (18+) | Legal/Regulated | NC Education Lottery offers online draw game tickets and “Digital Instants” via site/app |
| Online Horse Racing (18+) | Legal/Regulated (not yet live) | Legal under NC Gen Stat § 14-309.3; awaiting first operator launches |
North Carolina Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in North Carolina.
North Carolina’s prohibition of online casinos exemplifies the state’s broad and long-standing illegal gambling laws.
Although state law does not explicitly name “online casinos,” NC Gen Stat § 14-292 makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor for any person or organization to operate or participate in any game of chance where something of value is at stake.
North Carolina’s general gambling prohibition effectively outlaws all forms of real-money online casino games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.
Legalization Outlook
North Carolina is a long shot to legalize online casinos anytime soon.
Despite the successful passage of sports betting legislation, there has been no significant political momentum to authorize a broader expansion of online gambling.
In 2025, lawmakers considered a bill (HB 999) that would have authorized and regulated video gaming terminals (VGTs) in certain licensed establishments by defining them as a type of lottery game.
Although the proposal didn’t seek to legalize full-scale online gambling, it represented an effort to expand electronic gaming and failed to advance. Its failure highlights the strong political opposition that any effort to legalize online casinos would face in North Carolina.
Sweepstakes Casinos in North Carolina
Sweepstakes casinos are accessible in North Carolina but operate in a legal gray area.
North Carolina law does not explicitly ban sweepstakes casinos, and they avoid classification as illegal gambling by adhering to federal sweepstakes laws.
The key legal distinction is the “no purchase necessary” element, which requires sweepstakes casinos to always offer a free method for players to obtain the virtual currency needed to play for prizes (see how sweepstakes casinos work for details).
Nearly all reputable sweepstakes casinos accept players from North Carolina and offer a full range of casino-style games that resemble slots, blackjack, live dealer games, etc.
Recommended options for North Carolina readers:
Legal Risks Facing Sweepstakes Casinos in NC
Sweepstakes casinos have operated without legal challenge in North Carolina since their inception, but they operate on shaky legal grounds. Existing law provides a potential tool local regulators or the Attorney General’s Office could use to target operators.
Specifically, NC Gen Stat § 14-306.4 bans electronic sweepstakes machines. Lawmakers enacted the statute to prohibit land-based “sweepstakes cafes,” but the language is broad enough that officials could interpret it to cover the online games sweepstakes casinos offer.
North Carolina courts have upheld the ban on sweepstakes cafes in numerous instances. Although North Carolina has not leveraged the law to target sweepstakes casinos, it poses a legitimate legal risk that could result in their abrupt exit from the market.
North Carolina Online Poker
Online poker is illegal in North Carolina.
As with online casinos, state law does not explicitly mention real-money poker sites, but they fall under the general prohibition against betting on games of chance as defined in NC Gen Stat § 14-292.
Sweepstakes poker sites are the closest alternative for players seeking real-money online poker. They operate under the same “no purchase necessary” model as sweepstakes casinos, which allows players to compete for real prizes.
No bills to legalize online poker in North Carolina have advanced in recent sessions. Any future efforts would likely be packaged with a broader online gambling expansion effort, which itself lacks legislative support.
North Carolina Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is legal and regulated in North Carolina.
The North Carolina legislature passed HB 347 in 2023 to legalize online sports betting and retail sportsbooks.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission (NCSLC) regulates the market and has awarded eight online sportsbook licenses to date:
- Bet365 Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- ESPN Bet
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- Underdog Sportsbook
Key Rules for Bettors
State law and additional regulations adopted by the NCSLC govern how online sports betting works in North Carolina. Here’s what bettors need to know:
- Age and Location: Bettors must be 21+ and physically located within state lines to bet on sports online in North Carolina.
- Identity Verification: Online sportsbooks must collect every new user’s name, address, phone number, SSN, and a picture of a government-issued photo ID for identity verification.
- Permitted Wagers: All standard types of sports wagers are allowed in North Carolina (pregame, in-play, player props, parlays, etc.). Sportsbooks may offer wagers on professional, collegiate, Olympic, and esports events.
- College Betting: Unlike many states, North Carolina does not restrict wagers on in-state teams. That means fans may bet on teams like Duke and UNC.
- Deposit Methods: Bettors may fund their accounts with standard deposit methods, including cash, credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, prepaid cards, Apple Pay, Venmo, and other e-wallets. Sportsbooks may not extend credit to bettors.
North Carolina Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports contests are legal but unregulated in North Carolina.
State law does not specifically address the legality of daily fantasy sports, meaning North Carolina law neither expressly authorizes nor prohibits DFS contests.
Despite the legal ambiguity, all major fantasy sports apps have served the North Carolina market for years without challenge.
The NCSLC has signaled it may seek rule‑making authority once the NC sports betting industry matures. Until then, players should treat DFS as “buyer beware” and stick with prominent brands, such as:
The legislature has considered several bills to formally legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports in North Carolina, but all efforts have failed for various reasons.
In 2017, lawmakers considered HB 279, which would have tasked the Secretary of State with regulating daily fantasy sports contests in North Carolina. However, it failed over concerns that it represented an expansion of gambling and lacked sufficient harm reduction safeguards.
A 2019 DFS bill (HB 929) sought to establish the North Carolina Gaming Commission, legalize DFS contests, and implement regulatory oversight. HB 929 faltered amid strong resistance from religious and anti-gambling groups that viewed the bill as a significant expansion of legal online gambling in North Carolina.
Fantasy Pick ’em Contests in North Carolina
Fantasy pick ’em contests are legal in North Carolina but face an uncertain regulatory future.
Pick’em-style contests offered by operators such as PrizePicks and ParlayPlay require players to predict whether multiple athletes will go “more” or “less” than projected stat totals set by the operator.
The similarities between player-vs-house contests and proposition bets attracted NCSLC attention in late 2023.
While drafting the rules for the new sports betting market, the Commission published a proposal that included language that would have effectively banned pick’em-style contests in the state.
During the mandatory public comment period, the draft regulations received significant pushback from a coalition of fantasy sports companies, who argued that lawmakers had intended for their games to continue operating.
Faced with this opposition and the immense task of launching the statewide sports betting market on a tight deadline, the NCSLC withdrew all DFS-related provisions from its final sports betting regulations and promised to revisit the issue at a later date.
As a result, pick ’em contests remain available in North Carolina, but their long-term legality remains subject to future rulemaking by the Commission.
North Carolina Online Lottery
Online lottery sales are legal in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Lottery offers draw game tickets and instant win games through its official mobile app and website.
Players can purchase individual tickets or recurring subscriptions for all major draw games, including Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Cash 5 from anywhere within state lines.
Additionally, the North Carolina Lottery app offers “Digital Instants,” which resemble online scratch cards with fixed prizes worth up to $300,000 and progressive prizes that occasionally exceed $1 million.
The NC Lottery launched online sales of draw game subscriptions in 2013 and expanded to individual ticket sales in 2016. In 2023, the NC Lottery launched Digital Instants.
Players must be 18+ and physically present within state lines to buy online lottery tickets in North Carolina.
Online Horse Racing Betting in North Carolina
Online horse racing betting is legal but not yet operational in North Carolina.
North Carolina legalized advance deposit wagering apps (ADWs) and implemented a licensing regime in 2023 via HB 347, the same bill that authorized online sports betting.
However, none of the nation’s legal ADWs have applied for licenses in North Carolina due to high licensing fees (HB 347 established a singular licensing fee of $1 million for both online sportsbooks and ADWs).
Although online sportsbooks were willing to absorb the $1 million license to serve the lucrative NC online sports betting market, it has proven prohibitively expensive for online horse racing wagering operators.
What that means for fans: Although online horse racing wagering is legal in North Carolina, there’s currently no way to bet on the Kentucky Derby or other horse races online.
A Fix Is Coming
In its March 2025 one-year sports wagering anniversary report, the NCSLC stated that it is working on an improved “framework that will allow for the addition of pari-mutuel horse wagering in North Carolina.”
The NCSLC has also mentioned working with lawmakers to craft new legislation to ease the licensing burden, such as allowing ADWs to partner with licensed online sportsbooks to avoid the $1 million initial licensing fee.
In summary: The Lottery Commission and lawmakers are aware of the issues preventing online horse racing betting sites from launching in North Carolina and are working on a fix.
North Carolina Gambling Regulators
North Carolina has multiple agencies responsible for licensing, enforcement, consumer protection, and responsible gambling.
- North Carolina State Lottery Commission (NCSLC): Oversees the lottery, sports betting, and horse racing wagering; issues licenses, collects taxes, and ensures compliance.
- Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission (TGC): Regulates gaming at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino under tribal-state compacts.
- Catawba Nation Gaming Commission (CNGC): Oversees operations at Catawba Two Kings Casino.
- Alcohol Law Enforcement Division (ALE): Enforces state gambling laws, including prohibitions on illegal activities like unauthorized casinos and sweepstakes.
Responsible Gambling Resources in North Carolina
North Carolina significantly increased funding for responsible gambling when it legalized online sports betting in 2023. Under NC Gen Stat § 105-113.128, the state allocates $2,000,000 of annual tax proceeds from sports wagering to problem gambling education and treatment.
North Carolina Self-Exclusion Resources
A key component of the state’s responsible gambling initiative is the NC Lottery’s Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (VSE). The program allows residents to proactively ban themselves from all licensed online sportsbooks and horse racing wagering apps in North Carolina.
- Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program: Enroll online through the NCSLC website to self-exclude from all licensed sportsbooks and ADWs.
- Tribal Casino Self-Exclusion: Available at Cherokee and Catawba casinos; visitors can request voluntary self-exclusion in person.
- Daily Fantasy Sports: North Carolina does not yet regulate daily fantasy sports, but all reputable DFS apps offer individual self-exclusion tools. Players can request self-exclusion by logging in, opening account settings, and selecting “responsible gaming.”
North Carolina Responsible Gambling Organizations
- More Than A Game: Responsible gambling program administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; offers education, treatment information, recovery support, and other problem gambling resources. Call 877-718-5543; text “morethanagamenc” to 53342.
- National Council on Problem Gambling: National helpline, problem gambling education, and state-level resources; call 1-800-GAMBLER; text 800GAM; chat online at 1800gamblerchat.org.
- Gamblers Anonymous: Peer-support fellowship for gambling addiction recovery; North Carolina meeting schedules available online at gamblersanonymous.org.