As the state’s designated gaming regulator, the Commission develops rules, licenses entities, monitors compliance, conducts focused investigations, and enforces both regulatory and statutory requirements. Among other goals, the Commission and its staff work to ensure safe, secure, and transparent legal markets wagering; to protect players; and to support the integrity of games and events.
In North Carolina all legal sports wagering activity must be conducted through licensed parties. Those companies and their key persons undergo rigorous background checks and comply with the Commission’s detailed suitability and operational standards that are designed to:
The Commission and its staff conduct ongoing supervision and review to protect both players and the public interest. Licensees have an ongoing duty to remain suitable to hold a license.
Sports wagering in North Carolina is only legal for individuals who are:
Only licensed operators are authorized to offer sports wagers. Currently, there are eight operators licensed in our state. Wagering outside these legal channels is not only unsafe—it is also illegal.
Licensed operators in North Carolina are allowed to offer wagers on a wide range of sports and events, including:
State law prohibits wagers on certain types of events, such as:
Find the full list of events approved for wagering in North Carolina in the Commission’s sports wagering catalog by clicking the button below.
At this time, pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is not yet authorized.
Moneyline
Sports wagers placed on the winner of a sporting events.
Over-Under
Sports wagers on a total number reached (points, wins, etc.) in one or more sporting events.
Parlays
Sports wagers that combine two or more individual wagers and are dependent on all individual wagers winning.
Proposition wagers
Sports wagers placed on the occurrence or non-occurrence of a specific event within a sporting event not directly involving that sporting event’s final outcome.
Single-gaming wagers
Wagers which take place on or within a single sporting event.
Straight wagers
Wagers placed on a sporting event’s final outcome prior to its start that will be determined by an over-under, point spread, moneyline or total score.
Teaser wagers
Parlays where the player adjusts the point spread or over-under resulting in a chance of payout.
In-Game Wagering
Placing a sports wager during a sporting event which is not an in-play wager.
In-Play Wagers
Proposition wagers placed on a specific action during the sporting event that were not offered prior to the start of the sporting event.
The Commission is deeply committed to protecting players and to responsible gaming.
Commission rules direct interactive sports wagering operators to meet advertising standards and make responsible gaming tools available to all players. Licensees’ applications and websites are subject to safety standards and offer features such as deposit limits, spending limits, and time outs.
North Carolina also provides state-level resources to support individuals who may be at risk. These include educational outreach, a voluntary self-exclusion program, problem gambling helplines, and access to counseling and treatment services. To learn more about available resources and how to play responsibly, visit our Responsible Gaming page.
Sports wagering also raises tax revenue for our state: by law an 18% tax is applied to each operator’s gross wagering revenue. Gross wagering revenue is the total of amounts received by an interactive sports wagering operator from sports wagers authorized under state law, less the amounts paid as winnings before any deductions for expenses, fees, or taxes. The N.C. Department of Revenue collects the tax proceeds and distributes them as directed by state law.
