North Carolinians can use a debit card to buy coins at most online casinos. Because there can be issues with credit cards, it may be more cost-effective to use a debit card for an instant, secure payment.
North Carolina Online Casinos
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North Carolina online casinos are not legal yet. However, the appearance of sports betting apps in the state and the numerous sweepstakes and social casinos mean that you have plenty of ways to participate in online gambling in North Carolina.
We have all the details about what’s happening and, more importantly, what may happen for online casinos in NC in the future. So, read on for your guide on the developing gambling situation in the Tar Heel State.
Our top recommended online casinos in North Carolina
Rank
Casinos
Offer
Features
Play
1
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2
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4
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6
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Stake.us Review
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7
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8
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High 5 Casino Review
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9
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11
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12
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13
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Online gambling in North Carolina snapshot
Online sportsbooks, fantasy sports apps, social casinos, and sweepstakes casinos are the only options available in North Carolina right now.
| Type of Gambling | Status | Gambling Age |
| Online casino | Unavailable | Likely 21 |
| Sweepstakes casino | Available | 18 |
| Social casino | Available | 18 |
| Online lottery | Unavailable | 18 |
| Online poker | Unavailable | Likely 21 |
| Online sports betting | Available | 21 |
| Online horse racing | Unavailable | 21 |
| Daily fantasy sports | Available | 18 |
Latest North Carolina gambling news
- Sept. 30, 2024 – The North Carolina Lottery and IGT’s new 10-year contract is set to begin in 2027. The entities have been partners since 2006.
- July 10, 2024 – Birches Health joins East Carolina GRPI and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Problem Gambling Program to offer new treatment options to gamblers in the state.
- June 25, 2024 – Catawba Two Kings Casino expanded its offering with 12 new table games and 64 slot machines at its temporary facility in Kings Mountain, about 35 miles north of Charlotte.
- March 11, 2024 – And we’re off! North Carolina sportsbooks accepted their first bets at noon to begin the era of online sports betting in the Tar Heel State.
- March 8, 2024 – March 11, 2024 is set to be the day for the first sports bets in North Carolina.
- March 1, 2024 – Registration for online sports betting began at noon today. Eight different apps have begun accepting customers in preparation for the launch of sports betting in earnest.
- Feb. 21, 2024 – The North Carolina Lottery Commission has approved a new voluntary self-exclusion program before legal online sports betting starts.
- Feb. 21, 2024 – Efforts to regulate video gambling machines in North Carolina could increase as the state prepares for a sports betting launch.
- Feb. 12, 2024 – A Meredith College poll shows that North Carolina voters support legalizing non-tribal casinos. The state is currently home to three tribal casinos.
- Jan. 30, 2024 – Caesars Entertainment announces an expansion of its partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for North Carolina sports betting.
- Jan. 24, 2024 – The North Carolina Lottery Commission voted to allow licensed online sportsbooks to start accepting wagers on March 11.
- Jan. 10, 2024 – The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Catawba Indian Nation have completed sports betting license applications, joining seven other applicants.
- Jan. 5, 2024 – BetMGM announces it will partner with Charlotte Motor Speedway while DraftKings intends to collaborate with NASCAR to offer legal online sports betting across North Carolina.
- Jan. 4, 2024 – North Carolina Lottery’s Sports Betting Advisory Committee was told that seven applicants got their forms in before the Dec. 27, 2023, deadline, and that more sportsbook operators had shown interest.
- Dec. 19, 2023 – The Carolina Hurricanes have partnered with Fanatics Betting and Gaming for legal sports betting in North Carolina.
- Dec. 13, 2023 – The North Carolina Lottery Commission approved a second batch of regulations for legal online sports betting in the state.
- Dec. 5, 2023 – ESPN Bet becomes the sports betting operator of the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club, ahead of NC launch.
- Nov. 29, 2023 – The North Carolina Sports Betting Advisory Committee has submitted online sportsbook license application forms for approval.
- Nov. 20, 2023 – The NBA’s Charlotte Hornets signed a multi-year deal to make bet365 its official North Carolina sports betting partner. It’s the first online sportsbook partnership in the state.
- Nov. 16, 2023 – The first set of regulations for online sports betting in North Carolina are now official but with one important change — fantasy sports rules were removed.
Legal online casino options in North Carolina
Anyone aged 18 or older can participate in sweepstakes in North Carolina. That means you can play games with premium coins, typically referred to as Sweeps Coins, and redeem them for cash prizes if you win. Some states impose a daily limit on prize redemptions, but that is not the case in North Carolina.
- WOW Vegas: WOW Vegas is the best social casino in North Carolina for players seeking a wide variety of high-quality slots. There are approximately 900 slots in the range, and you can play them for fun with WOW Coins, or you can use Sweeps Coins, both of which you can get through the WOW Vegas casino welcome bonus. The site offers large bonuses for new and existing customers, and there is a VIP program too.
- High 5 Casino: High 5 Casino has been welcoming North Carolinians since launching in 2013. You can play slots from the High 5 Games catalog, plus slots from providers like NetEnt, and the site features live dealer table games too.
- Pulsz: Pulsz is the best social casino app in North Carolina. Most social casinos only offer a website, but you can download a native Pulsz app via the App Store or Google Play. The app hosts more than 800 games, including slots, scratchcards, virtual table games, and arcade games, and it is fast, reliable, and easy to use.
- Chumba Casino: Chumba Casino is a popular social casino that hosts slots, virtual table games, and casino solitaire. You can also play live bingo at Chumba, with 75-ball, 90-ball, and Bingo Blast games taking place on a regular basis.
- McLuck: McLuck is another popular site for slots players in the Tar Heel State, with hundreds of games from some of the world’s top studios. The site also recently added live dealer games, including baccarat, blackjack, and roulette. They have a strong focus on progressive jackpot games and attractive McLuck welcome bonuses too.
Pros and Cons to Sweepstakes and Social Casinos in North Carolina
North Carolina does not permit traditional online casinos, so sweepstakes and social casinos offer a useful alternative. They are by no means perfect, but you can unlock some clear benefits by signing up with these sites.
Benefits
- Most players in North Carolina will find it far quicker, simpler, and more convenient to play at social and sweeps casinos.
- You can play quality online casino games without risking your own funds, and you can also potentially redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes or gift cards.
- These sites are legal, so you benefit from North Carolina’s consumer protection regulations when playing at them.
Drawbacks
- Social and sweepstakes casinos do not host the same variety of games that you would find at a traditional online casino like BetMGM or DraftKings Casino.
- You typically need to play through at least 75 Sweeps Coins to redeem a cash prize, which equates to $75, and the redemption process can be slow at some sites.
- The customer service is a little slow at most social and sweeps casinos, especially when compared with traditional online casinos in other states.
Are online casinos legal in North Carolina?
North Carolina has not legalized online casinos. However, you can legally play at social and sweepstakes casinos in the Tar Heel State if you are 18 or older.
These sites comply with North Carolina sweepstakes law. State law defines sweepstakes as “any game, advertising scheme or plan, or other promotion, which, with or without payment of any consideration, a person may enter to win or become eligible to receive any prize, the determination of which is based upon chance.”
That means you cannot purchase Sweeps Coins at sites like FunzCity, Chumba or Carnival Citi. You can only earn free Sweeps Coins via bonuses and promotions, or by purchasing extra Gold Coins. The Sweeps Coins can then be used on games of chance, such as slots, roulette, blackjack, and video poker, and redeemed for cash prizes if you win.
Insight:
The nearest state with legal online casino gambling is West Virginia. Learn more with our casino bill tracker.
Will North Carolina legalize online casinos in the future?
North Carolina may decide to legalize online casinos in the future. The Tar Heel State rolled out a legal online sports betting market in 2024, so lawmakers are clearly open to expanding the gambling industry in North Carolina.
In 2021, the Senate approved a bill seeking to authorize commercial casino resorts. However, it failed in the North Carolina House by just a single vote. Renewed attempts to introduce land-based commercial casinos are expected in the future, and lawmakers could then turn their focus to online casinos.
No online casino bills are currently under consideration in North Carolina, but our bill tracker will provide details if any are launched in the future. In the meantime, North Carolinians can continue playing at legal social and sweepstakes casino sites.
What online casino games are available in North Carolina?
You can play hundreds of online casino games at sites like Luckyland, WOW Vegas, Pulsz, and High 5 Casino in North Carolina. They feature the same games found at traditional US online casinos in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. We have discussed the main categories below.
Slots
Slots are the most widely available online casino games in North Carolina. They are similar to the video slot machines found at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and other land-based casinos, but online slots generally offer better theoretical payout rates.
The best sites offer almost 1,000 slots, from basic 3-reel games to recently released Megaways slots and progressive jackpot slots. You can choose your favorite themes, decide on your preferred level of volatility, and browse slots with a variety of betting limits. Popular slots include Starburst, Big Bass Splash, and Book of 99, but there are lots to choose from.
Blackjack
There are live blackjack tables at tribal casinos in North Carolina, but those resorts are inconveniently located for most players in the state. You may find it easier and more convenient to play blackjack online at sites like McLuck, Pulsz, Stake.us, Chumba Casino, and LuckyLand Slots.
They offer classic blackjack games, which have a low house edge if you know when to hit, stand, split, and double down. You can also play multi-hand blackjack. There are virtual and live dealer blackjack games at the best sites in North Carolina.
Roulette
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino host live roulette tables in North Carolina. However, those tribal casinos are located more than 150 miles away from Charlotte, Fayetteville, Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and other cities.
If you want a more accessible option, you can play roulette online at McLuck, High 5 Casino, Sweeptastic, Stake.us, or Chanced Casino. They offer live roulette and virtual roulette games. You can choose from European roulette, American roulette, and French roulette, which has the lowest house edge.
Video Poker
You can play video poker games such as Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild at tribal casinos in North Carolina. They are also available online at sites like Sweeptastic and Chumba Casino, allowing you to play against the house.
These games do not require you to compete against rival players, so you won’t need to bluff or outwit dangerous opponents. You simply need to create a strong five-card poker hand by holding certain cards and discarding others prior to the draw.
Table Games
North Carolinians can also play baccarat, 3 Card Poker, Caribbean Stud, Casino Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker, and other card games online. The sites mentioned above do not offer online craps, but some offer dice games like Sic Bo. If you want to play craps, you can visit a social casino site called BetRivers.net.
Additional games include bingo, keno, Slingo, and online scratchcards. Some sites host a range of specialty games too, which may be referred to as arcade games or “Originals.” They include Limbo, Mines, Crash, and Plinko.
Live Dealer
Live dealer games replicate the experience of playing roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and table poker at a physical casino. North Carolinians can stream live dealer games at High 5 Casino, McLuck, Stake.us, and Chanced Casino.
You will be able to interact with the dealer by using a chat box while you play these games. There is no need for the Random Number Generators that power virtual table games and slots, as you can watch the cards being dealt, the dice being launched, and the wheel spinning in real time.
North Carolina retail casinos & cardrooms
There are three tribal casinos in North Carolina, which support more than 15,000 jobs in the state. These are the venues that you can visit for in-person casino gaming.
- Number of slots: 3,400
- Number of table games: 160
- Poker room: Yes
- Year opened: 1997
- Owner: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Caesars Entertainment
This is the largest retail casino in North Carolina. Harrah’s Cherokee Casino resort features a 150,000 sq. ft. gaming space, a World Series of Poker room, a sportsbook, an esports zone, bars, entertainment, and restaurants from celebrity chefs including Gordon Ramsay and Guy Fieri.
- Number of slots: 1,400
- Number of table games: 70
- Poker room: No
- Year opened: 2015
- Owner: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Caesars Entertainment
This tribal casino is located 55 miles west of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. Both are owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and operated by Caesars Entertainment, which owns the Harrah’s brand. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino is close to the borders with Georgia and Tennessee, so it attracts players from both states.
- Number of slots: 1,000
- Number of table games: 46 electronic table games
- Poker room: No
- Year opened: 2021
- Owner: Catawba Indian Nation
The Catawba Indian Nation opened a temporary casino in July 2021, featuring approximately 1,000 slot machines, 46 electronic table games, and a sportsbook. However, the finished casino is expected to have 3,000 slot machines, 120 table games, and a 400-room hotel tower, with the resort scheduled to open in 2026 or 2027. Catawba Two Kings Casino is in Kings Mountain, 30 miles west of Charlotte and close to the border with South Carolina.
Why you should choose legal online casino options in North Carolina
The sites we recommend above, like WOW Vegas, Pulsz, and High 5, comply with North Carolina’s laws for sweepstakes. They must abide by these laws to the letter, or risk legal action from the state. The laws are there, in part, to serve as protections for you, the player.
There are no such protections with unregulated casinos. Despite how slick and professional sites like Bovada, BetOnline, and other offshore casinos seem, and despite their claims to the contrary, they are not acting within the scope of any North Carolina or federal law.
Thus, there are several risks to playing with them. They may not offer fair gaming or rig their games. They may refuse to pay out your withdrawal requests. They may even abscond with your money without warning. Even the well-intentioned members of the bunch may still be prey to external threats and hacking, and submitting your information to them places you at risk of identity theft and financial losses.
You may be frustrated that online casinos are unavailable in North Carolina at this time. However, we strongly urge you to avoid those sites and stick to legal online casino options in North Carolina instead.
Online casino payment options in North Carolina
Sites like WOW Vegas, Chumba Casino, and McLuck do not accept traditional deposits or provide withdrawals. However, you can purchase coins, and they also offer the chance to redeem premium coins for cash prizes. We have explored some of the most common methods below.
Skrill
Skrill is one of the most widely available payment methods at online casinos in North Carolina. You can buy coins via Skrill, and you can also use Skrill when you request a cash prize redemption.
All Banking Options
Social and sweeps sites accept online bank transfers too. If North Carolina legalizes traditional online casinos, they will offer PayPal, Venmo, Play+, e-checks, online banking, PayNearMe, and wire transfers.
Responsible gambling in North Carolina
The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program (NCPGP) provides support and treatment services for players in the Tar Heel State. The program is funded by the North Carolina Education Lottery and supported by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
The NCPGP runs a site called More Than A Game. Resources include a self-assessment screening test, which is designed to determine whether you may have a gambling problem, pls tips on how to gamble responsibly. The site also puts North Carolinians in touch with recovery coaches and support specialists, and it links to resources such as Gamban and voluntary self-exclusion programs.
You can also access national responsible gambling services. Call 1-800-GAMBLER for immediate support, or visit the NCPG site for more information.
Georgia Online Casinos FAQ
Yes, you can redeem cash prizes at social and sweepstakes casinos in North Carolina. You will need to earn free premium coins and successfully play them through before redeeming a cash prize. These sites are legal in North Carolina, as they comply with the state’s sweepstakes laws.
WOW Vegas is the best online casino in North Carolina. The site is well-designed, accessible, and reliable, and it hosts approximately 900 high-quality slots from a variety of providers. If you prefer table games, the best options for North Carolinians include Chanced Casino, Stake.us, and Sweeptastic.
Yes, there are three tribal casinos in North Carolina: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel, and Catawba Two Kings Casino. A bill that would have authorized commercial casino resorts cleared the North Carolina Senate in 2021, only to fail by a single vote in the House the following year.
You must be 18 or older to buy lottery tickets, take part in charity bingo games, or to participate in sweepstakes in North Carolina. The minimum age for sports betting and pari-mutuel betting is 21, and you also need to be at least 21 years of age to visit a tribal casino in the Tar Heel State.
North Carolina could legalize traditional online casinos in the future, as the state’s gambling industry has expanded in recent years. Online sports wagering began in 2024, so online casinos could be considered next. Lawmakers are not currently considering any online casino bills, but we will update readers if that situation changes in the future.
You can play slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, and various other casino games in North Carolina. They are available at land-based casinos such as Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, or you can play online at sites like WOW Vegas, Pulsz, High 5 Casino, Chumba Casino, and McLuck.
North Carolina casino players also liked
We have already highlighted the five most popular online casinos in North Carolina. If you are looking for more inspiration, the sites listed below all offer a strong overall user experience for players in the Tar Heel State. You can play their games with standard coins or premium coins, which can be redeemed for prizes.
Stake.us Casino
... people viewed today
- Stylish site with an intuitive user interface.
- Large portfolio of games, including live dealer options.
This is the best North Carolina online casino for game variety. Stake.us has a slightly smaller range of slots than WOW Vegas and Pulsz, but the site also has a large section for live dealer games, plus a wide range of arcade games and virtual table games. You can play with Gold Coins or Stake Cash, which can be redeemed for crypto prizes.
Chanced Casino
... people viewed today
- Live French roulette and classic blackjack games.
- Accepts payments via crypto and fiat-based methods.
Chanced Casino is an excellent choice for players seeking games with a low house edge and a great Chanced casino welcome promo. For example, you can play French roulette and classic blackjack with live dealers, and it also hosts virtual blackjack, plus other table games, slots, and variety games. You can use crypto or fiat-based payment methods at Chanced, so it is an interesting alternative to Stake.us.
Sweeptastic
... people viewed today
- Large range of virtual card games and roulette games.
- Sophisticated layout makes it easy to find your favorite titles.
Sweeptastic is another sweepstakes casino that excels in terms of game variety. The site does not offer live dealer games, but there are loads of slots, virtual card games, roulette games, video poker games, and “Originals.” The user interface is neat and accessible, so navigating the large range is easy.
Luckyland Slots
... people viewed today
- Hosts exclusive slots with large progressive jackpots.
- Meet and mingle with the friendly social media community.
This social casino features exclusive slots and a few table games. Progressive jackpot slots like Legendary Wins and Stampede Fury 2 give you the chance to win large Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins payouts. There is also a friendly community, so LuckyLand Slots players can make new friends, share achievements, and take part in competitions on social media.
Vegas Gems
... people viewed today
- Runs daily, weekly, and monthly leaderboards.
- Unique bonuses unveiled via mystery prize chests.
Vegas Gems is one of the newer social casinos to arrive in North Carolina. The site hosts hundreds of slots, plus variety games like Crash, Mines, and Towers. There are daily, weekly, and monthly leaderboards, and you can also unlock chests to reveal mystery prizes.
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