North Carolina’s online sportsbooks went live on March 11, 2024, and the state now has seven licensed apps. They’re regulated by the North Carolina Lottery Commission, and operators pay an 18% tax on their betting revenue.
You need to be 21 or older and physically in North Carolina to bet. In-person sports betting is limited to the state’s tribal casinos, and online casino games aren’t legal.
Here’s the full list of licensed online sportsbooks in North Carolina and how their apps rate.
How we list and rank sportsbooks
We start from the state regulator’s own list of licensed online sportsbooks, so every brand on this page is legal where it’s listed. We then order the apps by popularity: how many people have rated each one on the US App Store, alongside its average score. “Top” on Locals Insider means the most popular and most used apps, not a paid placement.
Offers only appear for brands we work with, and every term comes from the operator’s own rules. If we can’t confirm a detail on an official page, it doesn’t go in.
Is online sports betting legal in North Carolina? Yes, through sportsbooks licensed by the North Carolina Lottery Commission.
- Minimum age: 21
- Launch date: March 11, 2024
- Licensed online sportsbooks: 7
- Online casino: Not legal in North Carolina
- Retail sports betting: Tribal casinos only
- Where you can bet: Only while physically inside North Carolina; apps check your location before every bet.
Licensed Online Sportsbooks in North Carolina (7)
These are the seven online sportsbooks licensed in North Carolina, ordered by how many people use and rate each app.
FanDuel Sportsbook NC – same-game parlays and live betting
Licensed through: North Carolina Lottery Commission
FanDuel’s app has more ratings than any other US sportsbook, over 2.3 million at 4.84. In North Carolina it’s sportsbook-only, since online casino isn’t legal.
If you drive to Myrtle Beach, note that South Carolina doesn’t have legal sports betting, so the app won’t take bets there.
DraftKings Sportsbook NC – daily odds boosts and same-game parlays
Licensed through: North Carolina Lottery Commission
DraftKings averages 4.82 from about 1.37 million ratings. North Carolina bettors get the sportsbook only.
Charlotte sits right on the South Carolina line, so check that the app can locate you in North Carolina before game time.
bet365 Sportsbook NC – sharp odds and in-play betting
Licensed through: North Carolina Lottery Commission
bet365 is licensed in North Carolina and averages 4.78 from about 361,000 ratings. It’s the US version of the global bet365 brand.
Fanatics Sportsbook NC – FanCash rewards on your bets
Licensed through: North Carolina Lottery Commission
Fanatics Sportsbook averages 4.83 from nearly 296,000 ratings. It runs on the same account as the Fanatics merchandise store.
BetMGM Sportsbook NC – MGM Rewards and deep player props
Licensed through: North Carolina Lottery Commission
BetMGM averages 4.75 from more than 261,000 ratings and links to MGM Rewards, which you can use at MGM properties when you travel.
theScore Bet Sportsbook NC – a simple app tied to theScore
Licensed through: North Carolina Lottery Commission
theScore Bet, owned by PENN Entertainment, averages 4.83 from about 224,000 ratings.
Caesars Sportsbook NC – Caesars Rewards on every bet
Licensed through: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Caesars Sportsbook operates in North Carolina through the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which runs Harrah’s Cherokee. Its app averages 4.74 from about 117,000 ratings.
North Carolina Sportsbook Apps Compared
| App | Licensed through | Online casino (same brand) | iOS rating (ratings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | NC Lottery Commission | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.84 (2,315,931) |
| DraftKings | NC Lottery Commission | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.82 (1,369,715) |
| bet365 | NC Lottery Commission | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.78 (360,739) |
| Fanatics | NC Lottery Commission | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.83 (295,868) |
| BetMGM | NC Lottery Commission | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.75 (261,271) |
| theScore Bet | NC Lottery Commission | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.83 (224,319) |
| Caesars | Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | No (not legal in North Carolina) | 4.74 (117,111) |
Ratings are US App Store averages and rating counts, checked November 2026. All seven licensed North Carolina sportsbooks have a checked US App Store rating.
North Carolina Sportsbook Promo Codes
We don’t have a partner offer in North Carolina right now, so we don’t list bonus amounts here. Each licensed sportsbook shows its own welcome offer in the app; read the full terms there before you deposit, and check the minimum odds, expiry and whether bonus bets return the stake.
How to Sign Up at a North Carolina Sportsbook
- Check the brand is licensed. Use the list above or the North Carolina Lottery Commission website, and skip any app that isn’t on it.
- Download the official app. Get it from the App Store or Google Play, or sign up on the operator’s site, while you’re in North Carolina.
- Verify your identity. You’ll enter your legal name, date of birth, address and the last digits of your Social Security number, and you must be 21 or older.
- Turn on location services. The app confirms you’re physically inside North Carolina before every bet, even if you live there.
- Set your limits, then deposit. Add deposit and time limits first, then fund the account with a card, bank transfer or another method the app accepts.
North Carolina Betting Numbers
North Carolina sportsbooks took $566.3 million in bets in July 2026, including $14.7 million in promotional wagers, and kept $63.2 million as gross wagering revenue (NC State Lottery Commission). Online betting has been live since March 11, 2024, and the tax on operators’ revenue rose from 18% to 23% on July 1, 2026 (NC Gaming).
Recent Changes in North Carolina
theScore Bet, the former ESPN Bet, now takes bets in North Carolina under its new name.
Betting on North Carolina Teams
North Carolina bettors follow the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Hurricanes, along with Charlotte FC. College basketball runs deep here too, from Duke and North Carolina to NC State.
How North Carolina Taxes Betting Winnings
Winnings are taxable income. A sportsbook withholds 24% for federal tax when a payout, minus your stake, is more than $5,000 and at least 300 times the wager, and reports it on Form W-2G (IRS). From 2026 you can deduct only 90% of your gambling losses, and only if you itemize, capped at what you won (IRS Form W-2G).
North Carolina taxes winnings at its flat individual rate, 3.99% for tax years after 2025. Online sportsbooks don’t withhold North Carolina tax, so every winning bet belongs on your return, with or without a W-2G. From the 2025 tax year, itemizers can also claim a new North Carolina deduction for gambling losses (NC Department of Revenue).
This is general information, not tax advice; a tax professional can look at your own situation.
Tips for Betting in North Carolina
- Watch the South Carolina line. South Carolina has no legal sports betting. In Charlotte and along the coast, make sure the app places you in North Carolina.
- Expect sportsbook-only apps. Online casino games aren’t legal in North Carolina, so apps show sports betting only.
- Retail betting is at tribal casinos. If you want to bet in person, North Carolina’s tribal casinos are the only option.
- Use the state’s limits. Every licensed app offers deposit limits, cool-off periods and self-exclusion.
North Carolina Sportsbooks FAQ
Seven: FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, Fanatics, BetMGM, theScore Bet and Caesars.
March 11, 2024.
No. Only online sports betting is legal; casino games are available in person at tribal casinos.
Yes, but only at the state’s tribal casinos.
Operators pay 18% of their sports wagering revenue to the state.
Bet with a plan. Set deposit and time limits before your first bet, and never chase losses; every licensed sportsbook offers cool-off periods and self-exclusion. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET, the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline.
More Sportsbook Guides
- US sportsbooks hub: every state page, offers and reviews
- Sports betting apps compared: how the national apps stack up
- Other states: New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia, Arizona, Tennessee
- Prediction markets: event trading under federal rules
