North Carolina Gambling Laws

North Carolina gambling laws represent the strict-tier of US gambling laws. However, there are still some forms of legal gambling in the state.

North Carolina gambling laws

North Carolina is not a casino-friendly state, due to their socially conservative outlook and the involvement of religion in politics. With some exceptions, “any person or organization that operates any game of chance or any person who plays at or bets on any game of chance at which any money, property or other thing of value is bet, whether the same be in stake or not, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor,” say North Carolina gambling laws.

The maximum penalty for a Class 2 misdemeanor in North Carolina is 60 days in jail and a USD 1,000 fine. However, there are a few legal and licensed opportunities to gamble in North Carolina. These include two Native American casinos, Harrah’s Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. Both casinos are operated by Cherokee Indians, who are the only federally recognized tribe in North Carolina.

North Carolina gambling laws have a specific paragraph, devoted to the matter of Class III gambling in the state. “Class III gaming activities […] may legally be conducted on Indian lands […] of federally recognized Indian tribes.” This means, that the two casinos can offer slots, table games, and video games. Bingo games can be conducted by Native Americans and charity organizations. A third type of bingo, “Beach Bingo” is also legal if the prizes don’t exceed USD 10.

North Carolina gambling laws don’t allow for betting on horse and dog racing. “No person shall hold, conduct, or operate any greyhound races for public exhibition in this State for monetary remuneration,” says the law.

Online Gambling in North Carolina

When it comes to North Carolina gambling laws, it’s hard to decide whether online gambling is legal or not. The laws don’t explicitly mention internet casinos. Since North Carolina follows a prohibiting road in gambling, citizens should rather keep off internet casinos.

Lotteries in North Carolina

The North Carolina Education Lottery if one of the youngest lotteries in the US. It was created in 2005, after Governor Mike Easley signed the North Carolina Lottery Act. The act has also established a 9-member North Carolina Lottery Commission to initiate, oversee, and administer the state lottery. The lottery funds are used to aid North Carolina’s education system. By 2014, it raised more than USD 4 billion dollars for different educational purposes.

Daily Fantasy Sports in North Carolina

Currently there are no bills that would regulate and legalize daily fantasy sports in North Carolina. Attorney General Roy Cooper said that he will examine the games’ legality only if a district attorney asks for his guidance.