{"id":6132,"date":"2023-08-05T16:38:30","date_gmt":"2023-08-05T16:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top10pokersites.net\/?page_id=6132"},"modified":"2024-02-15T15:45:31","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T15:45:31","slug":"laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.top10pokersites.net\/top-10-us-poker-sites\/north-carolina\/laws","title":{"rendered":"Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Despite the wave of legalization that hit the US in the last decade, North Carolina is still sticking to its guns by not allowing most forms of online gambling<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Casino gambling and sports betting are regulated but only available in several land-based locations<\/b>. Meanwhile, no one can operate mobile casinos, sportsbooks, or poker sites in North Carolina, although online sports betting is close to becoming legal.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a person from North Carolina who wants to enjoy online poker, your only option now is to go to offshore poker sites<\/b>. Despite not being officially recognized, these platforms slip through the state\u2019s legal cracks and allow you to enjoy competitive cash games and tournaments without worrying about the law.<\/p>\n

Naturally, you would want to play in the very best offshore poker rooms. You\u2019re in luck, as we\u2019re the most reliable source for finding them. Check out our top list<\/b> and pick a poker site that fits your criteria or continue reading if you want to learn the details behind North Carolina\u2019s online gambling laws.<\/p>\n

<\/i> Is Online Gambling Legal in North Carolina?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"OnlineAs a traditionally conservative state, North Carolina is generally opposed to online gambling. Unlike neighboring Virginia and Tennessee, which are taking advantage of the blossoming iGaming industry, North Carolina still forbids all major online gambling verticals, including sports betting, casinos, and poker.<\/p>\n

However, there are ongoing efforts to expand the existing regulated forms of gambling that are currently limited to a few land-based casinos and sportsbooks. HB347<\/a>, which aims to bring online sports betting to NC, has garnered enough votes in the North Carolina House and has reached the Senate. If the Senate passes the bill, Gov. Roy Cooper will be ready to sign it into law.<\/p>\n

But what about online casinos and poker sites?<\/b> Well, these simply haven\u2019t gained enough interest so far and are not on the waiting list. There are no major prospects for legalizing either of these two sectors, and it\u2019s likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

As for other forms of online gambling, North Carolina allows lottery players to buy tickets online through the official NC Lottery website, while it\u2019s also permitted to participate in daily fantasy sports contests on select platforms.<\/p>\n

Poker Laws<\/h3>\n

\"Law\"North Carolina refers to poker in its General Statutes<\/a>, where you can clearly see which forms of gambling are permitted.<\/p>\n

Chapter 14, Section 292 of the Statutes specifies that any person operating or playing games of chance is a violation of the law and will be charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor<\/b>. <\/p>\n

Since poker is considered a game of chance in NC (ruled by the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the Joker Club v. Hardin<\/a> case), playing poker is regarded as an illegal activity.<\/p>\n

However, there are exceptions. Some forms of gambling are allowed on Native lands, and live poker is legally available at two Native American casinos<\/b> with a license to operate Class III games<\/b>.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, online poker is not legal in any capacity, so people wanting to play the game online can only do so on unregulated offshore sites, which fall in the legal gray area.<\/p>\n

Lastly, there are also some rules regarding home poker games, which we\u2019ll cover below.<\/p>\n

Online Poker<\/h3>

Online poker isn\u2019t mentioned explicitly in North Carolina law books, leaving things to interpretation. Technically, since poker is viewed as a game of chance in North Carolina, you risk being charged with a Class 2 misdemeanor, but this hasn\u2019t happened in practice.<\/p>\n

NC poker players commonly visit offshore sites without being prosecuted, which is also true in many other states with unregulated online poker. Instead of targeting the players, the states usually go after operators and look to limit their reach.<\/p>\n

Be that as it may, you should still be careful when picking NC-friendly offshore poker sites<\/b>. To be sure you can enjoy fair gameplay and complete safety, select only the tried and tested offshore poker platforms, like the ones listed on our website.<\/p><\/div>\n

Land-Based Poker<\/h3>

Unlike online poker, which is played \u201cunder the table,\u201d North Carolina has a fairly active land-based poker scene.<\/p>\n

Poker is only allowed on Native land, in casinos licensed to operate Class III games. There are only two such casinos in North Carolina \u2014 Harrah\u2019s Cherokee<\/b> Casino<\/b> in Cherokee and Harrah\u2019s Cherokee Valley River Casino<\/b> in Murphy. The state\u2019s third Native casino (Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain) currently does not offer Class III games.<\/p>\n

The venue in Cherokee is especially noteworthy as it hosts World Series of Poker events<\/b>. The casino\u2019s WSOP poker room boasts 8-handed games played across 32 tables and features daily tournaments. The Harrah\u2019s Cherokee Valley River Casino doesn\u2019t have a poker room at the moment, but you can still play house-banked games like Mississippi Stud and Three Card Poker.<\/p><\/div>\n

Home Poker<\/h3>

With poker being considered an illegal game of chance in North Carolina, playing the game for real money at home is still regarded as a Class 2 misdemeanor, both for the person hosting the game and the players.<\/p>\n

Technically, police can raid a home poker game in North Carolina, but this doesn\u2019t happen. In other words, you are generally safe to play a poker game at home<\/b> with your buddies in NC.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/i> What Forms of Gambling Are Legal in North Carolina?<\/span><\/h2>\nWhile North Carolina is yet to ease its online gambling laws, it does allow nearly all forms of land-based gambling:\n

Tribal casinos<\/h3>

Most forms of legal gambling in North Carolina occur at three of the state\u2019s full-scale casinos in Kings Mountain, Cherokee, and Murphy. This is where you can find loads of video slots, table games like roulette and blackjack, and, of course, poker.<\/p><\/div>\n

In-person sports betting<\/h3>

The aforementioned tribal casinos are allowed to operate sportsbooks inside their venues. The two Cherokee casinos house the Caesars Sportsbook, while the Catawba location has its own Two Kings Sportsbook.<\/p><\/div>\n

Pari-mutuel horse racing<\/h3>

Pari-mutuel wagering is legal in NC but very limited. Since there are no race tracks in the state and online horse race betting is not legal, you can only place bets on horse races at the off-track betting facilities located inside Tribal casinos.<\/p><\/div>\n

Lottery<\/h3>

The lottery was introduced in 2006, and North Carolina is now one of the few states where you can purchase lottery tickets online. The NC Education Lottery offers a few in-state games as well as popular multi-state games like Powerball and Mega Millions.<\/p><\/div>\n

Daily fantasy sports<\/h3>

Participating in DFS contests is allowed at select online platforms.<\/p><\/div>\n

Charitable gambling<\/h3>

Bingos and raffles sponsored by non-profit organizations are allowed.<\/p><\/div>\n

Why Should We Play Online Poker?<\/h3>
Playing on offshore poker sites in North Carolina may come with some risks, but it also carries plenty of benefits:\n