North Carolina Online Casinos

Greensboro News And Record

13 February 2024

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North Carolina is home to three retail casinos, but there are no North Carolina online casinos. While other forms of online gambling are allowed, including licenced NC sports betting sites, online casinos are not. That said, you can legally play casino games online in North Carolina at social and sweepstakes sites.

Of course, North Carolina could expand legal online gambling options at a later date. Here’s an overview of current casino options in NC with some added information about what added online casino options could come in the future.

Are online casinos legal in North Carolina?

You can bet on sports and buy lottery tickets online in North Carolina, but real money online casinos are not permitted.

During the debates that led to the expansion of legal online sports betting in the state, there was some discussion of NC possibly joining the short list of states that have legalized online casinos. Some have observed how North Carolina’s population is similar to that of Michigan, where online casinos are legal, meaning NC could enjoy significant tax revenue from online casinos, much as Michigan has.

Even so, don’t expect NC to legalize real money online casinos too soon. The state will likely take some time to see how its new online sports betting market develops before considering further expansion. Meanwhile, social and sweepstakes casinos are currently legal options in NC (discussed below).

Possible NC online casinos

Should online casinos become legal in North Carolina, the state’s size would surely attract all of the major online casinos currently operating in other states. Here are some of the online casinos that would surely seek a license to operate in NC if and when the time comes.

BetMGM Casino

BetMGM Casino is currently live in several states, boasting one of the largest casino game libraries available everywhere it operates. The site particularly excels with its slot selection, with many exclusive titles and a number of progressive jackpot slots, like MGM Grand Millions, for which the top prizes sometimes reach seven figures.

There’s a nice selection of table games and live dealer games at BetMGM Casino as well. The site and app are both smartly designed to enhance user experience, the banking options and customer support are both solid, and BetMGM has a nice welcome offer and occasional ongoing promotions. Users also get to participate in the BetMGM Rewards program for added benefits.

DraftKings Casino

The daily fantasy and sports betting giant DraftKings also offers a top-notch online casino in several states. Like BetMGM, DraftKings Casino has a huge slot selection but also stands out for its large table game library, in particular its many blackjack variations. You’ll find plenty of live dealer action at DraftKings as well.

In some states, DraftKings Casino offers special DraftKings Progressive Jackpots that link dozens of slots and table games. By choosing the option and adding a small amount to each spin, hand, or roll, players have a shot at a huge jackpot that has previously topped $3 million. The site offers occasional bonuses and promos while also featuring a Dynasty Rewards loyalty program.

FanDuel Casino

FanDuel has also expanded from DFS and sports betting to become a popular online casino option in several states. The FanDuel Casino has a smaller selection of slots and table games than other sites do, but the selection is well curated with all the most popular titles and top studios represented.

FanDuel Casino’s Daily Jackpots feature also adds to the fun, designating dozens of slots each day as jackpot slots with added prizes. The site also features a number of exclusive live dealer games where you can play blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and other favorites.

Caesars Palace Online Casino

Caesars Palace Online Casino brings the fun and excitement of Caesars' many retail properties to computers and mobile devices in several states. The site features a decent-sized game selection with lots of jackpot slots featuring large prizes, while the table games and live dealer choices rival the collections at other top sites.

Caesars Palace Online Casino features various ongoing promos, including deposit bonuses, “Games of the Week,” prize drawings, and more. Players also get to join the famed Caesars Rewards program, where they can earn credits redeemable for bonus play along with a host of other benefits.

Sweeps & social casinos in North Carolina

While you cannot currently play online casino games for real money in North Carolina, you can play at social and sweepstakes casinos. These sites use virtual currencies in their games, meaning you use the sites’ own coins (often called Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins) to play the games. All winnings come in the form of those coins as well, but with the Sweeps Coins, you can redeem winnings for cash prizes at a certain threshold.

Social and sweeps sites like WOW Vegas, Pulsz, Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and McLuck tend to feature large slot libraries that, in many cases, include lots of exclusive games. The graphics, animation, and sounds for these slots created “in-house” often rival what you find at real money casinos. Some of the sites have a few table games, like blackjack and roulette, and High 5 Casino even has live dealer games.

While you can purchase coins with which to play games at sweeps and social casinos, it’s never mandatory. You can always play games for free on these sites. For states like NC, where real money online casinos aren’t yet allowed, social and sweepstakes sites can be a great alternative.

Retail casinos in North Carolina

As noted, there are three retail casinos in North Carolina, all operated by the state’s federally recognized Native American tribes. There are no commercial casinos in NC, although the newly expanded sports betting bill has authorized a number of additional retail sportsbooks across the state.

At present, the state is considering allowing a fourth tribal casino in southeastern North Carolina; the Lumbee Tribe would operate it. Meanwhile, lawmakers have discussed the idea of allowing commercial casinos in certain parts of the state, specifically in Anson, Rockingham, and Nash counties.

For now, though, there remain just three in-person casinos in NC.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

North Carolina’s largest casino is also its oldest: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort opened in 1997. With 150,000 square feet of gambling space, over 3,000 slot machines, more than 160 table games, and a 32-table World Series of Poker-branded poker room, Harrah’s Cherokee is a favorite destination not just for North Carolinians but for those in surrounding states as well. The Caesars Sportsbook is also a prime attraction. Until recently, it was one of the only places in the state where you could bet on sports. The property includes a 1,800-room hotel, several restaurants and bars, and a 3,000-seat entertainment venue.

Address: 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC 28719

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River

Like its sister property, Harrah’s Cherokee, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is located in the mountains in western NC and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The casino opened in 2015 and features 60,000 feet of gaming space where you’ll find over 1,000 slots and about 60 table games. There’s also a Caesars Sportsbook. The property additionally features a 300-room hotel, a couple of dining options, a “multi-tainment” center with bowling and arcade games, and nearby golf.

Address: 777 Casino Parkway, Murphy, NC 28906

Catawba Two Kings Casino

North Carolina’s newest casino is the Catawba Two Kings Casino—operated by the Catawba Nation and opened in 2021. The casino is still in the process of being constructed and expanded. Currently, there are around 1,000 slots available, plus a number of electronic table games, with plans to add live table games and a poker room soon. Visitors can also find a sportsbook, plus a couple of dining options. There is no hotel on site, although there are plenty nearby.

Address: 538 Kings Mountain Boulevard, Kings Mountain, NC 28086

Popular games at NC casinos

North Carolina casinos feature all of the classic games found in Las Vegas and around the world. Here are some of the more popular games offered in NC casinos.

Baccarat

A favorite casino card game in Europe, baccarat is also popular in US retail and online casinos. The game superficially resembles blackjack, but point totals for hands are calculated differently, and you don’t get to choose whether to draw more cards. Instead, you choose to bet on the “player” or “banker” to win the hand (or on a tie).

Blackjack

Blackjack is by far the most popular card-based table game, both live and online. The classic game of “21” pits players against the dealer, who represents the house. Use correct strategy when you stand, hit, double down, split, or surrender, and you can increase your chances of winning considerably.

Craps

Craps is the popular dice-rolling game that incorporates many ways to wager. You can stick to less risky common wagers like the come & don’t come bets, place win & place lose bets, buy bets, lay bets, and field bets. Or you can take a chance and go for long shots like Box Cars, Yo-Leven, or Any 7.

Poker

In North Carolina, you can play live poker against other players at Harrah’s Cherokee. The casinos also feature poker-based table games like Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Let It Ride, Three Card Poker, and Mississippi Stud. There is no real money online poker available in North Carolina, but some of the sweeps and social casinos do feature one or two poker-based games.

Video poker

Video poker is a hugely popular casino game in which you are dealt a five-card draw hand and decide what cards to keep and which ones to discard and replace. Popular variations include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, and others, and in all of them, the highest-ranking hands earn the largest payouts. As with blackjack, learning a bit of strategy can go a long way to improve your results in video poker.

Roulette

Another casino favorite in North Carolina is roulette, the ball-and-wheel game in which you can try to double your money by betting on red/black or odd/even. Alternatively, you can go for bigger wins (and longer shots) by betting on particular numbers or choosing other wagers. Expect to find a lot of American roulette in NC (with the single- and double-zero).

Slots

Slots are easily the most popular genre of casino game, and you’ll find no shortage of slots covering the floor in North Carolina casinos. These include video slots, three- and five-reel slots, and many fixed and progressive jackpot slots that award big prizes to lucky spinners.

North Carolina Casinos FAQ

What cities in North Carolina have casinos?

Of the three North Carolina casinos, two are located in the mountainous westernmost part of the state. Harrah’s Cherokee, NC’s largest casino, is in Cherokee, while Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is in Murphy. Meanwhile, the Catawba Two Kings Casino is in Kings Mountain, which is a little over 30 miles west of Charlotte, not far from the North Carolina-South Carolina border.

Is North Carolina getting online casinos?

North Carolina allows some forms of online gambling, but not real money casino games. It is possible lawmakers might expand legal gambling to include online casinos in the future, but probably not any time soon.

What is the legal age to gamble at NC casinos?

You must be at least 21 years old to gamble in any of the North Carolina casinos. In some states, tribal casinos have lower minimum ages, but it’s 21 in the Tar Heel State.

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