Best North Carolina Sportsbooks and Betting Apps November 2026

Key takeaways

• Seven online sportsbooks hold a North Carolina license, all approved by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission.
• You must be 21 or older and physically inside North Carolina when you bet. You do not need to live in the state.
• College betting is allowed. A 2025 bill to ban college player props has not passed.
• Under the July 2026 budget, operators now pay 23% tax on gross wagering revenue, up from 18%.
• Help is available on 877-718-5543, and you can self-exclude for 1, 3 or 5 years or for life.

How online sports betting works in North Carolina

North Carolina legalized sports wagering in 2023 through House Bill 347. Online betting went live at noon on Monday, March 11, 2024, timed for the day before the ACC men’s basketball tournament.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission regulates the market through ncgaming.gov. The law allows up to 12 interactive sports wagering licenses, each with a $1 million licensing fee and renewable every five years (JD Supra). Seven are in use. Each one appears on the Commission’s Approved Licensees page with its license number. For example, Caesars Sportsbook is licensed through the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians under NCO-0008, and theScore Bet is licensed to Penn Sports Interactive. If an app is not on that list, it is not licensed in North Carolina.

The law also allows retail betting at Places of Public Accommodation, but the Commission says there are currently no such locations in the state. Before the 2023 law, legal sports betting in North Carolina existed only in person at three casinos run by two tribes (WUNC). For most bettors in North Carolina, betting means a licensed app or website. See how the state compares with the rest of the country on our legal sports betting map, or browse every state on the US betting sites hub.

The market is large. In the 2026 fiscal year (July 2025 to June 2026) players placed $7.39 billion in paid wagers, plus $229.2 million in promotional wagers, about $7.62 billion in total, according to the Commission’s preliminary figures. A year earlier, players placed about $6.41 billion in paid wagers in FY2025 (about $6.64 billion including promotional wagers), and operators kept roughly $647.7 million in gross wagering revenue, according to the Commission’s FY2025 revenue report. The September 2026 report shows $691.3 million in paid handle for that month.

Rules to know before you bet

• Location, not residency. You must be physically in North Carolina when you place a bet, and sportsbooks use geolocation to check where your device is. Visitors from other states can bet while they are here.
• Age. Players must be at least 21, according to the Commission’s player FAQs.
• No proxy betting. Placing a bet for someone who is not allowed to bet is illegal.
• College sports are on the menu. Wagering on collegiate sports and certain amateur sports is permitted. A bill to ban college player props (House Bill 828) has not passed.
• Banned markets. You cannot bet on high school or youth sports, injuries or penalties, disciplinary proceedings, replay reviews, political contests, award shows, or any event outside the state’s approved Sports Wagering Catalog.
• Payment methods. State law allows deposits by credit card, debit card or bank transfer (WFAE), but check each sportsbook’s cashier for the methods it accepts.

If you are new to US pricing, our guides to moneyline and point spread betting and how to choose a betting site cover the basics.

Taxes on sportsbooks and on your winnings

From launch through the 2026 fiscal year, operators paid 18% of gross wagering revenue. Governor Josh Stein signed the state budget on July 7, 2026, and it raised the rate to 23% for the 2026-27 fiscal year (Gaming Intelligence). The Commission’s monthly reports show the tax estimated for each month. Promotional credits count as wagers in that calculation, so bonus play is not deducted before tax.

Your own winnings count as income under North Carolina’s flat individual income tax. The rate is 4.25% for tax year 2025 and 3.99% for tax year 2026, according to the North Carolina Department of Revenue, and further cuts may apply from 2027 under the state’s rate-reduction triggers. The same July 2026 budget lets taxpayers who itemize deductions subtract documented gambling losses from state taxable income. The deduction is capped at the amount allowed for federal tax purposes and reaches back to tax year 2025 (Gaming Intelligence). If you take the standard deduction, it does not help you, and the federal limit means losses may not fully offset winnings. Keep your betting history and check with the Department of Revenue or a tax advisor before you file.

Responsible gambling in North Carolina

The Commission runs a Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program that covers sports wagering and advance-deposit horse race wagering. You can enroll online through the form on the Commission’s responsible gaming page or in person at an NC Education Lottery Claims Center, using government ID or verification questions. You choose 1 year, 3 years, 5 years or lifetime. An exclusion usually takes effect within 3 to 4 business days, and your name is shared with every licensed operator. It applies to wagering in North Carolina, though operators may also choose to ban you from their sites in other states.

The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program runs More Than A Game NC. Call 877-718-5543, text morethanagamenc to 53342, or chat at morethanagamenc.com. Our responsible gambling page and the guide to responsible gambling tools explain deposit limits and time-outs.

If you have a complaint a sportsbook will not resolve, contact the Commission at (919) 301-3300 or through its complaints page.

What is changing

• Prediction market tax. The 2026 budget adds a 6% tax on prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket from January 1, 2027. It does not license or regulate them, and none appear on the Commission’s list of licensees. The wider legal fight is covered in our report on the push for the Supreme Court to hear the Kalshi case.
• More schools share the money. UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State join the schools that receive sports betting tax proceeds from July 2027.
• College prop bill. House Bill 828, filed April 8, 2025, would ban player prop bets on college and amateur sports. It went to committee, and we have found no report of it becoming law. Check the bill page for its current status.

Frequently asked questions

Is sports betting legal in North Carolina?

Yes. House Bill 347 legalized sports wagering in 2023, and online betting launched on March 11, 2024. The North Carolina State Lottery Commission licenses and regulates every online sportsbook in the state.

What sportsbooks are legal in North Carolina?

Seven online sportsbooks hold a license from the Commission: theScore Bet, DraftKings, bet365, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook. Each is listed with its license number on the Commission's Approved Licensees page. Any app not on that list is not licensed in North Carolina.

How old do you have to be to bet on sports in North Carolina?

You must be at least 21, according to the Commission's player FAQs, and licensed sportsbooks verify your identity before you can bet.

Can I bet on college sports in North Carolina?

Yes. Wagering on collegiate sports and certain amateur sports is approved in North Carolina. High school and youth sports are banned. A 2025 bill to ban player props on college and amateur sports (House Bill 828) has not passed.

Do you have to pay state taxes on sports betting winnings in North Carolina, and can I deduct my losses?

Yes. Gambling winnings count as income under the state's flat income tax, which is 3.99% for tax year 2026, with further cuts possible from 2027. The July 2026 budget lets taxpayers who itemize deduct documented gambling losses from state taxable income, up to the federal limit, starting with tax year 2025. Keep your betting records and check with the Department of Revenue or a tax advisor before you file.

Can I use a sportsbook app in North Carolina if I live in another state?

Yes. You do not have to be a North Carolina resident, but you must be physically inside the state when you place a bet. Sportsbooks use geolocation to check where your device is.

How do I self-exclude from sports betting in North Carolina?

Enroll in the Commission's Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program online through ncgaming.gov or at an NC Education Lottery Claims Center. You can choose 1, 3 or 5 years or lifetime, and the exclusion usually takes effect within 3 to 4 business days. Your name is shared with every licensed operator in the state.

References

1. House Bill 347 (2023), North Carolina General Assembly
2. North Carolina State Lottery Commission, About
3. North Carolina State Lottery Commission, Approved Licensees
4. North Carolina State Lottery Commission, Player FAQs
5. North Carolina State Lottery Commission, Responsible Gaming and Voluntary Self-Exclusion

About the author

Daniel WardFounder and Editor

Daniel Ward founded BettingSeeker and is responsible for everything published on it. He has spent his career in SEO and content for online betting and casino comparison sites, and today leads SEO for a portfolio of gambling comparison sites across several countries.

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