The best online casinos in North Carolina 2024
Find a top North Carolina online casino here! Real money casinos are not yet legal in the Tar Heel State, but you can still play the latest and best games at social and sweepstakes sites. Use our shortlist to find your perfect site for safe, secure online gambling in North Carolina.
Our top recommended North Carolina online casinos
North Carolina online casinos to avoid
We only ever recommend the best North Carolina gambling sites. If we think a site isn't worth your time to play at, we add it to our list of casinos to avoid. This includes casinos that might be unsafe, fraudulent, or that simply offer a poor user experience. Take a look below for the North Carolina online casinos to avoid.
North Carolina online casinos by category
As we said earlier, real money online casinos in North Carolina are not yet legal. Below we've focused on the best social and sweepstakes casinos sites that you can play at instead. Read on for a snapshot of our top North Carolina online casino picks!
McLuck - best for sweepstakes fans
McLuck is a top North Carolina online casino. The brand is a big name in the US and offers well over 500 casino games to play. For sweepstakes fans, McLuck is a great choice. You can try your hand at special features like Hold and Win games or McJackpots on a regular basis. We also like McLuck for its NC casino app, which is super easy to use and well-developed in comparison to other brands.
Read our McLuck casino review
WOW Vegas - best for online slots
If you want to play a wide variety of online slot games for free in North Carolina, WOW Vegas has you covered. With over 800 thrilling slots to choose from, you won't find a much better variety throughout the industry. WOW Vegas also offers a great variety of promotions including regular contests, tournaments, and daily offers. Undeniably, this is a top North Carolina online casino for players in the state.
Read our WOW Vegas casino review
Pulsz Casino - best for all casino games
Pulsz is a sweepstakes casino site with over two decades of experience providing a gaming platform. This NC online casino is hugely popular and has well over 110,000 social media followers across the US. When it comes to games, Pulsz offers nearly 700 slot games from a variety of top providers. For quality casino games, Pulsz is hard to beat!
Read our Pulsz Casino review
High 5 Casino - best for bonuses
High 5 Games launched its online social gaming platform in 2012 and has continued to make waves across the sweepstakes casino industry ever since. The NC online casino offers over 800 games, including exclusive slots just for the platform. Players like High 5 Casino for its free Game Coins that are given on a regular basis, plus its variety of bonuses and promotions.
Read our High 5 Casino review
Fortune Coins - best for prize pools
As far as North Carolina gambling sites go, Fortune Coins is hard to beat. Using an exclusive sweepstakes model, you can earn ‘Fortune Coins’ that you can use on a wide array of games and slots, including progressive jackpots with massive prize pools. Offering secure deposit options and responsive customer service, there’s plenty for North Carolinians to love.
Read our Fortune Coins review
Gambino Slots - best NC casino app
As one of the hottest social casinos, you’ve likely heard of Gambino Slots. Recreating the thrill of the Vegas strip (with none of the risk), new players can enjoy a generous welcome offer plus hundreds of slot games. Plus, Gambino Slots offers a popular NC casino app that works on both iOS and Android devices.
Read our Gambino Slots review
LuckyBird.io - best for crypto fans
As one of The Tar Heel State’s hottest new sweepstake casinos, LuckyBird.io offers exciting slots and arcade titles mixed with anonymous cryptocurrency payments. Play games and participate in promos, and you’ll keep your virtual wallet afloat with GCs and SCs, so your free social gaming entertainment is endless. North Carolina players who build up enough SCs can even exchange them for real-life prizes!
Read our LuckyBird.io review
Still not decided?
What game do you want to play most?
How we rate the best North Carolina casino sites
If you’re searching for the best casino in North Carolina, knowing exactly what to look out for can help you make the most informed decision when gambling online. Our dedicated casino experts have shared our strict review process to show you just what to pay attention to:
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Security and fairness
We only recommend safe, secure, and legal online casinos. We do a full background check for each and every gambling site. Plus, all of our recommended sites offer sophisticated security systems. We look for up-to-date SSL encryption software to ensure your personal and financial data is safe at any North Carolina casino.
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Bonuses
We expect top North Carolina casinos to reward both new and loyal players with generous perks and prizes. Any online site should offer attractive welcome bonuses and generous coin packages. In particular, we look for at least 250-500 coins in any welcome package, plus regular rewards on a daily or weekly basis.
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Game selection
As standard, we look for a minimum of 250 casino games at any North Carolina casino site. However, the best casinos will offer well over 700 unique games to play. We look for a range of slot games from top developers as well as other gambling games like poker, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and more.
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Mobile and app casinos
It goes without saying, but any gaming site needs to be optimized for mobile. We only recommend casinos that have responsive sites that work in a mobile browser. Plus, we look for at least 90% of desktop games to be available on mobile. Bonus points go to casinos that have dedicated North Carolina casino apps!
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Banking methods
Sites that offer flexible banking options rank highly on our list. North Carolina players can expect to find popular and secure options like bank cards, prepaid cards, and e-wallets. We look for a minimum of 10 reputable and trusted payment options at any gaming site.
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Customer support
Speed, efficiency, and availability are things we assess with a casino’s customer support services. Our team of experts looks for 24/7 customer support, extensive FAQ pages, and knowledgeable staff. We test each casino and send genuine queries to assess just how trustworthy they really are.
North Carolina gambling laws
North Carolina has three land-based casinos, the first of which opened in the late 1990s. After two decades of brick-and-mortar casino betting, the first retail sportsbooks were introduced to North Carolina’s prominent tribal casinos. Now, NC lawmakers are divided over whether the Tar Heel State is ready to go virtual.
Online gambling’s legal status in North Carolina
Online gambling is not 100% legal in North Carolina. Real money online casinos are not permitted, though online betting is a different story. North Carolina was the 30th state in the US to offer legal online sports betting. In June 2023, Gov. Roy Cooper signed HB 347 which means up to 12 interactive sports wagering licenses can be granted in the state.
Below is a quick snapshot of the legal status of gambling in NC. All information is up to date at the time of writing, though be sure to check your local legislation for the latest news.
| Type of gambling | Legal status |
|---|---|
Tribal casinos | ? |
Online casinos | ? |
Land based sports betting | ? |
Online sports betting | ? |
Daily Fantasy Sports | ? |
Lottery | ? |
What is the legal gambling age in North Carolina?
Players must be 21 or over to gamble at a land-based casino or sportsbook. Anyone 18 or above can legally wager on the state lottery and participate in raffles or bingo games. Most states allow pari-mutuel horse wagering from 18, but since all horse betting occurs within the state’s tribal casinos, the minimum age in North Carolina is 21.
Are there taxes on gambling winnings?
Any money earned from an NC casino or sportsbook is subject to tax. All gambling winnings will be taxed at a flat rate of 24%. If the profit from a wager is more than 300x the bet or has been won in a sweepstake, lottery, or wagering pool, it will be subject to income tax withholding.
How is gambling in North Carolina regulated?
The casinos on tribal reservations are regulated independently of the state by the Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission (TGC). The TGC was established in 1993 to implement the laws and protocols of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988) as part of the tribal-state gaming compacts that allow retail casinos.
Free social and sweepstake casinos are legal to play at since they don’t allow real money gambling. Because they operate across the whole of the US they do not hold individual state licenses. Instead, they are independently audited by testing agencies like eCOGRA for fairness and security.
Online sports betting is legal in North Carolina, but there has been much less movement for online casino gambling. Though industry experts believe it would be a highly profitable move for the state, it's unlikely that real money online casinos will be available any time soon. It could be the case that the state will take time to assess how the online sports betting market develops before considering another gambling expansion, but nothing has been confirmed.
Which NC online casinos could be available in the future?
The situation around North Carolina gambling sites is always in flux. Though there's no sign of state legislation changing soon, there are lots of theories about what could happen. When it comes to online casinos, there are a few brands that players believe would be interested in operating in North Carolina. The biggest bets are around the most well-known and respected names that are already operating in other US states. Though nothing has been confirmed, some of the most likely real money North Carolina casino sites could include:
- BetMGM
- BetRivers
- Betway
- FanDuel
- Caesars Palace Online Casino
- DraftKings Casino
Where are online casinos and sports betting sites legal in the US?
Find the latest online gambling legislation updates for your state below.
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Which online casino games are available in North Carolina?
While you can’t bet on casino games online, North Carolinians can still join the online action by playing at social and sweepstakes casinos. You won’t win any real money prizes, but you can still enjoy all of the best casino games, like those listed below.
Slots
In North Carolina, slots are hugely popular. Slot games make up the majority of games you’ll find at online social casinos. In fact, some online casinos in North Carolina consist of slots alone. Though you can’t win real money on them, you can find several of the latest and greatest slot games from top providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play at NC social casinos.
Learn more in our online slots casinos guide.
Blackjack
An age-old casino classic, blackjack has the lowest house edge of any table game. With simple rules and wide betting limits, it is an excellent option for both casual and high-rolling players. As one of the most popular online casino games, you can find multiple variations of online blackjack.
Learn more in our online blackjack casinos guide.
Roulette
Another popular table game at casinos, roulette also comes in multiple variations. Its most common forms are American, French, and European. With the scope to wager on specific numbers or to hedge your bets 50/50, this game of chance is perfect for every type of player.
Learn more in our online roulette casinos guide.
Poker
Online poker is not yet legal in North Carolina, but you can play for real money in land-based poker rooms at the state’s tribal casinos. In the meantime, you can put your poker face into practice at free online social casinos, where you can find games like Texas Hold’em and 3-Card Stud.
Learn more in our real money online poker guide.
Video poker
Video poker combines the strategy of poker with the fun of online slots. Most social casinos will offer a variety of video poker games and you'll also find them at brick-and-mortar casinos. Look out for top picks like Joker Poker, Bonus Poker, Double Joker Poker, and more.
Learn more in our video poker casinos guide.
Live casino games
Live dealer games let you recreate the buzz of the casino floor when playing online. Whether you prefer roulette, blackjack, poker, or baccarat, you can play in real time and with a real dealer. Most real-money online casinos will offer a live casino library separate from their video games, and some social casinos are beginning to offer them too.
Learn more in our live dealer online casino guide.
Sports betting
Retail and online sports betting is live and legal in the Tar Heel State. Caesars Sportsbooks are available at both Harrah’s Cherokee casino sites for professional and collegiate sports betting, alongside pari-mutuel horse wagering.
Fantasy sports
Fantasy sports betting is very popular in North Carolina. There are many ways to play DFS. Online, you can wager and create teams at DFS sites like DraftKings and FanDuel.
State lotteries & bingo
Launched in 2005, North Carolina’s state lottery is the fourth youngest of the 45 available in the US. While you can buy lottery tickets online, you can’t play bingo online. Non-tribal bingo games are legal when organized by charitable organizations, and low-stakes ‘beach bingo’ games (with prizes under $10) are legal to play at licensed facilities. You can play high-stakes bingo at Cherokee Tribal Bingo.
Getting the best online casino bonuses in North Carolina
Like real-money casinos, social and sweepstake sites will often reward new players with casino bonuses and promotions. North Carolina casino sites have plenty of generous offers to enhance your free casino experience, and we’ve listed the most common types of bonuses below.
Welcome bonuses
Sign up bonuses, also known as welcome offers, are standard at any North Carolina casino. Typically, you'll receive a coin package just for signing up and that can include millions of gold coins. Plus, there are usually additional packages that you can purchase which might include extra gold coins or free spins at a discounted rate. These are reserved exclusively for new players.
No deposit bonuses
No deposit bonuses don't exist at social online casinos. However, you can still claim a casino bonus without making a purchase. Any good North Carolina online casino will offer regular free coins just for logging in. You'll often get rewards via social media contests, by referring a friend, or even just as a birthday bonus. No purchase offers are an excellent way for new players to test out the latest slots or casino games without spending real money.
Deposit match offers
Deposit match bonuses give you an additional reward on top of your first deposit. The casino will boost your real money bankroll with additional casino credit, whether it's a 50%, 100%, or 300% match. Remember that this offer will have wagering requirements and an expiry date attached.
Free spins
The bread-and-butter of casino bonuses, free spins are slot stakes that don’t use real money. Most social casinos will give you a large amount of its currency to get started, but some will give you free spins instead. Although some sites limit free spins to a handful of games, others give you free rein to spend them on whichever slots you like.
Loyalty/VIP program
Loyalty programs are a staple of online casinos. Most revolve around a tiered structure where casual players can earn free spins and cashback. However, VIP programs reward the highest rollers, offering non-casino perks like event invitations and personal account managers.
Making deposits and withdrawals for NC online gambling
Social casinos are free to play at, but bettors who want to pad out their virtual bankroll can do so by making a real money deposit. Most social casinos in North Carolina offer many popular casino payment methods. These include:
- Debit cards
- Credit cards
- Bank transfers
- Prepaid cards
- e-Wallets
- Bitcoin
Local casinos in North Carolina
The only brick-and-mortar casinos allowed to operate in the state are those run on tribal reservations. You can see more detail on these venues below.
Responsible gambling in North Carolina
For most gamblers, wagering at a casino or sportsbook is an exciting pastime. However, some bettors may develop harmful gambling habits that result in addiction. Every reputable online casino will offer tools and resources that players can implement to maintain responsible betting habits. Below, we’ve listed some additional resources available to bettors in North Carolina, or you can also head to our US responsible gambling hub.
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North Carolina Council on Problem Gambling
North Carolina Council on Problem Gambling is service that educates, supports, and advocates for people suffering from gambling addiction, as well as supporting family and friends of someone suffering.
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North Carolina Problem Gambling Helpline
A 24-hour freephone service that is available to those suffering from problem gambling. You can contact them on 877-718-5543.
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North Carolina Division of Mental Health
The North Carolina Division of Mental Health runs the NC Problem Gambling Program to provide prevention, education, outreach, and treatment services across NC.
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Gamblers Anonymous
Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experiences to help others that are battling their addictions.
FAQs
Can I play at online casinos in North Carolina?
Yes, you can legally play at social casinos in North Carolina. However, real money online casinos are not yet permitted in the state. Head to our shortlist to find legal social and sweepstakes casinos in NC.
Do sweepstakes casinos operate in NC?
Yes, social and sweepstakes casinos operate in North Carolina. You can sign up to play casino-style games like slots, blackjack, roulette, and poker. These social sites function purely for entertainment and are therefore legal to play.
What gambling is legal in North Carolina?
Casino gambling, sports betting, and pari-mutuel horse wagering are legal as long as they take place at a land-based casino. Raffles and bingo are legal if run by a non-profit organization, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians runs a high-stakes bingo hall on its reservation.
Can you gamble on your phone in North Carolina?
Yes, you can play at social and sweepstakes casinos in North Carolina on mobile. Most online gaming sites will even have a dedicated NC casino app to download for iOS and Android devices.
Is Chumba Casino legal in North Carolina?
At the time of writing, Chumba Casino operates in nearly all US states including North Carolina. You simply need to reside in the state and meet the legal age requirement to sign up.
Where can you gamble in North Carolina?
Bettors in North Carolina can gamble at three land-based tribal casinos: Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River in Murphy, Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, and Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain. High-stakes bingo is available at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian’s bingo hall or at low-stakes ‘beach bingo’ halls across the state.
Edited by Steve Bittenbender
Steve Bittenbender covers Midwest news for Casino.org, specializing in sports betting and horse racing. He joined the Casino.org news team in 2019, and previously covered sports, business and politics at the Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal. He continues to contribute to Reuters. Steve lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife and son. He is an avid poker player, having learned from his uncle as a kid.