Gambling Age in North Carolina North Carolina takes its gambling law seriously. If one is caught allowing underage players to engage in casino gaming, the responsible party is subject to legal punishment and will be considered a Class H felon. Currently, the legal age for casino gambling in the territory is twenty-one years of age. According to North Carolina law, you must 21 years of age and older. Betting sites will allow users to register an account as young as 18; however, state laws restrict you from placing a bet unless you’re 21. Casino Gambling Age in North Carolina. The minimum age for casino gambling is 21. Minors are not allowed to be present on the gaming floor or anywhere gambling is taking place. They will receive a fine, prosecution and potentially community service. The parents of the minor may also be liable for charges if they were aware the minor was there.

1. Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina
2. Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina State
3. Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina
4. Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina U.s

Legal forms of gambling in the U.S. State of North Carolina include the North Carolina Education Lottery, two Indian casinos, charitable bingo and raffles, and low-stakes 'beach bingo'. North Carolina has long resisted expansion of gambling, owing to its conservative Bible belt culture. North Carolina’s biggest source of gambling is their lottery, which generates between $1.5 billion and $1.9 billion every year. Minus fees and commissions, 26% of this amount goes towards the K-12 school and higher education funds.

As online gambling starts to open its doors once again, we are going to take a look at how old you need to be to access these online casino sites.

If you’re familiar with the current layout of the online gambling sector in the US, then you will be aware that things aren’t always black and white. The legal gambling age changes across states, which means that laws in one state may differ from another.

As a general rule, most places have limits of 21 years to both sign up for an account and also place a wager. However, these drop to as low as 18 in some states, which is more in line with laws across Europe.

Gambling Age by State

We’ve included a lot of information on this page, but one of the easiest resources is going to be the table below. Within the table, we have included a list of all states and the minimum gambling age for each product.

A key point to note that is some states will range in relation to the product that you want to use. For example, Arkansas has a legal gambling age of 21 and over for casinos, but 18 and over on bingo and lottery products.

Within the table we have included all of the relevant information that you need for checking on US gambling age by state. Some of the boxes include 2 ages and this means that it can come down to the discrepancy of the location.

For example, Washington state law dictates that players must be aged 18 and over. Some casinos and sportsbooks decide that this is too young and instead exercise their right to increase the minimum legal gambling age in their establishments to 21.

Whilst the above scenario is actually quite common, it’s worth noting that they would not be able to do the reverse of this. So, if a state had a legal age of 21 for gambling, a single establishment would not then be able to change their minimum age to 18, for example.

Which State Allow You to Gamble at 18?

As you can see from the data in the table above, there are casinos where the legal gambling age is 18+. What you will find is that there is some separation between the likes of casino gambling and sports, compared with the likes of bingo and lottery.

Most states will not class the two recreational activates in the same category. For that reason, many states will require those playing casino games, betting on sports, or playing poker to be aged 21 or over, and those playing bingo or the lottery to be aged 18 or over.

Below we have included several states that are the age of 18 across the board:

• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New York
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wyoming

With a number of these states, there are caveats that we need to mention. Some states will have age limits that range depending on where the person wants to gamble, as well as the types of gambling and casino games they’re interested in. Again, this links to the example that we spoke about earlier with Washington allowing a gambling age of 18+, but most establishments enforcing a 21+ rule.

When you’re looking at the legal gambling age in the US, casino and sports betting will always set the benchmark as the highest age for any gambling product. What we mean by that is that in zero states across the country is the legal gambling age for bingo, lottery, poker, daily fantasy sports, or horse race betting higher than sports or casino.

One of the most common reasons why persons under 21 (usually 18+) can gamble in some states is down to tribal law. Minnesota is a good example of this, and the state has an agreement in place with tribal casinos that allow persons aged 18+ to enter and play casino games.

Legal Sports Betting Age

Sports betting is just starting to get back to where it was within the country. Sports betting is still illegal in many states, which makes it hard to access.

However, these numbers are starting to improve and the online platform is one area that is going to massively take off for sports over the next few years. It’s also worth noting that sports betting and daily fantasy sports are exclusive of each other. Don’t assume that the state has the same minimum age for each product, as this is not always the case.

Most states are 21+ for the minimum age for sports betting. At the time of writing, the only exception to this is that of Rhode Island.

Legal Casino Age

Casinos are much more prominent and accessible than sports betting opportunities. The reason for this is that many casinos are tribal run and whilst most stick to state law, some do have agreements in place to accept players as young as 18 years old.

There are only 7 states where casinos are illegal in the US, with one state (Georgia) currently waiting for legislation to be passed. All states except 9 remaining from those that are legal have a minimum gambling age of 21 to access online casinos or place wagers.

Legal Bingo Age

Bingo is generally a lot more lenient than other forms of gambling. It still gets classed gambling, but most states maintain a legal gambling age of 18+ for bingo.

Legal Poker Age

Poker is a mix of age limitations between 18 and 21 for the most part. The introduction to online has meant that most places have increased the legal age to 21.

With the 18+ rule, these poker rooms are all land-based poker halls, either freestanding or as part of a casino. They are usually tribal run as well, which means that they work with the state to ensure that players who are 18+ can play safely.

Legal Online Gambling Age

With online gambling laws starting to shift across the country, light has been shed on the legal gambling age to access these sites. All online casino sites in the US have enforced the 21+ federal law up to this point.

We would be very surprised to see that this changes any time soon either given that one of the key areas many states are battling is the increase in problem gambling amongst underage players. No states have lobbied to have the age lowered and aren’t likely to do so any time soon.

Underage Gambling Laws and Prosecutions

Prosecutions for underage gambling is starting to rise in the US. This has mainly been down to the increase in the online casino sector, but there are strict punishments in place for those caught ignoring gambling regulations.

Like most things in the United States, it depends on what state you are in as to the punishment received. Most start with fines, driver’s license suspensions, and then move through to things like probation, community service, and even jail time.

Regardless of the punishment, a prosecution for underage gambling will go down onto a criminal record depending on the age.

In some cases, where the accused are still classed as children, parents or guardians may be brought in to either serve punishment or for repeat offenses, face punishment themselves. Plea bargains are not an option in most states and will require a court case to be heard to argue a case.

Responsible Gambling and Gambling Companies Role

Responsible gambling is now a massive part of both the online and land-based gambling industry. It’s imperative that everyone involved do all they can to help those in need as well as limit exposure to those who are most vulnerable.

One of the biggest challenges that the industry faces is keeping underage players away from online platforms and out of land-based casinos. One way that they are combatting this is a process called KYC (Know Your Customer). KYC is basically a string of steps that players need to complete in order to gain access to gambling sites. This may include, but is not limited to, proof of ID, proof of address, and even financial documents to prove financial stability.

Players must always follow the law and thoroughly educate themselves on safe gameplay. You can find many helpful resources online, and we encourage you to read our articles about gambling winnings tax in the US as well as our take on gambling strategies before diving into the online casino scene.

FAQ

How old do I need to be to gamble in the United States?

Players need to be aged 21 or over as per federal law. However, some states will allow players aged 18+ to access some gambling products.

Does each state have the same minimum gambling age?

No, they can vary, and they can vary per gambling products (sports, casino, poker, bingo etc.) within each state as well.

How many states in the US allow online gambling?

There are currently 5 states that offer legal online gambling. These are Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Can 18-year olds gamble in the US?

In some states, 18-year olds can gamble in the US. This is often limited to certain forms of gambling, like bingo and lottery. However, there are several states where it’s legal for an 18-year-old to gamble.

• Year North Carolina Regulated Gambling: Bingo (1945), Cherokee Casino (1997), Lottery (2005)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: $506 million
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $1.85 billion
• North Carolina Gambling Age: 18 for lottery, 21 for casinos, no minimum for bingo and raffles
• Smoking ban: North Carolina bans smoking in all indoor business. It does not apply to Cherokee’s casinos.
• North Carolina Online gambling: No forms are legal

North Carolina gambling is almost non-existent. There are two North Carolina casinos located in the Smoky Mountains. Each resort is on land belonging to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The original Harrah’s Cherokee casino only offered slots that required skill, video poker, and electronic table games. Harrah’s Cherokee casino expanded into a massive resort with full table games in August 2012. The Cherokee Indians put a plot of land into trust near Murphy. A North Carolina casino opened on that property on September 2015. The casino is much smaller than the sprawling resort in Cherokee.

There are only two other forms of gambling that are legal in North Carolina. Charities may offer bingo and raffles with limitations on frequency and prize values. There is also a state lottery.

There were times that gas stations and bars offered video poker. Those games were phased out in 2006. Sweepstakes machines that resembled video poker and slots appeared for years after that. Those devices were eventually banned under state law.

Paying Gambling Taxes in North Carolina

Did you know that your gambling income is taxable? OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes on your gambling winnings straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.

North Carolina Casinos Map & Guide

• Harrah’s Cherokee
• Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River

• Number of B&M Casinos: 2
• Number of Poker Rooms: 1
• Number of Indian Casinos: 2

Types of North Carolina Online Gambling Allowed

There are no forms of legal online gambling in North Carolina. Online poker, casino and sports betting sites that accept North Carolina players are not licensed.

Daily fantasy sites accept players from North Carolina. The assertion by these companies is that the contests are skilled games and not gambling. While many other states have declared otherwise, North Carolina officials have not done so. DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo!, and CBS Sports are the major daily fantasy sports sites that accept players from North Carolina.

Types of Live North Carolina Gambling

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: Yes
• Horses: No
• Lottery: Yes

There are three types of live gambling in North Carolina. The most exciting type are the North Carolina casinos, Harrah’s Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. Both of these North Carolina casinos offer a full range of casino games like slots, video poker, electronic poker tables, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Let it Ride and baccarat. Harrah’s Cherokee also has a big poker room. These are the only two casinos in North Carolina where these games are legal.

Players on the east side of the state will find riverboat casinos that leave the Little River Inlet. These are just across the state line in South Carolina. The same games are offered on these North Carolina casino boats.

There is a state lottery in North Carolina. Scratch-off and lotto tickets are sold at thousands of convenience stores throughout the state. Games include interstate drawings like Powerball and Mega Millions.

Charities, which include senior, educational, religious, fraternal and veterans organizations, may offer bingo and raffle games. These types of games have very low limits in terms of stakes.

North Carolina Gambling Laws

North Carolina gambling laws had two clashes with gray area gambling. State law addresses these issues and others. Video poker found its way through the back door in the 1990’s. The state finally banned these games not long after the state lottery launched. Possession of any video poker device in North Carolina is a misdemeanor. Repeat offenders or those caught in possession of five or more machines commit a felony.

Creative operators rolled out sweepstakes machines in an attempt to replace video poker revenue. The state outlawed these devices. The operation of a sweepstakes café where players enjoy games that mimic slots, and video poker is a misdemeanor.

The North Carolina Lotteryis only permitted to sell scratch-off tickets and hold lotto drawings. These sales may only occur at retailers and not over the Internet.

Charities may only spread bingo twice per week. Prizes may not exceed $500. Raffles may be operated twice per year. The maximum cash prize is $10,000. The maximum non-cash prize is $50,000. Small stakes bingo with prizes under $10 is legal for anybody to operate. This is considered to be a social game.

North Carolina casinos may only be operated on Cherokee tribe land. Electronic games must require skill unless they fall under a raffle or bingo format. Some slots use a lock and roll format, meaning that a player holds reels and re-spins. Keno game must use a double up feature; the game will drop 10 numbers and ask the player if they would like to double their bet.

The minimum gambling age in North Carolina is 18 years for lottery and charity gaming. North Carolina casino minimum gambling age is 21 years. There is no minimum gambling age for charity and social gaming players.

List of North Carolina Casinos

There are only two North Carolina casinos that are only allowed to be operated by the Cherokee tribe. There are other gambling venues that are used for lottery and charity casino events.

Harrah’s Cherokee is a massive resort. It is located in Cherokee, which is west of Asheville and south of Maggie Valley. There are more than 150,000 square feet of casino space and 1,100 hotel rooms. Games include slots, video poker, live poker, electronic table games, electronic poker tables, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Let it Ride and baccarat.

The second Cherokee casino called Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River opened near Murphy in 2015. The same games are offered at this casino as the main one in Cherokee. The only difference is that it is on a smaller scale. Harrah’s Thunder Valley River is about one hour closer to most parts of Atlanta, the largest market served by North Carolina casinos.

There is a high-stakes bingo hall on the Cherokee Reservation. Below you will find a list of North Carolina casinos with their location and contact information. Use our North Carolina casinos map to better help locate these popular gambling venues.

The only other options for gambling in North Carolina are on a much smaller level. Lottery tickets may be purchased at gas stations throughout the state. There are dozens of bingo parlors in North Carolina. These can operate no more than twice a week.

History of North Carolina Gambling

All forms of gambling were illegal in North Carolina until 1945. That is when the state legalized bingo and raffles for charities. Video poker infiltrated the state in the 1990’s. That is around the same time it became a major industry in South Carolina.

The state legislature tried to address some of the video poker problems in 2000 when South Carolina banned video poker. That is when a moratorium on new machines entering the state was created.

Some operators avoided this by simply transferring serial numbers from one device that failed to a new one. The 2000 law also capped the number of machines to three per establishment. Some operators decided to build video malls full of three machine-rooms. There was also a limit of $10 in prizes. Cash could not be paid. Many operators ignored this law altogether. It was obvious in some establishments because the machines took bills up to $20. Clearly, nobody would pay $20 to win a maximum of $10.

Video poker had to be incidental to a business. Many North Carolina video poker establishments were tobacco shops or small convenience stores. A majority of the money still came from gambling.

Enforcement of video poker laws varied from one county to another. It was up to the sheriff. Paying cash on video poker was only a misdemeanor. It was hardly a deterrent to illegal video poker facilities. Few were busted. Hardly anybody served jail time.

The state legislature had enough of this. It attempted for years to outlaw the games. Video poker operators lobbied heavily and donated to many political campaigns. Voters approved a state lottery in 2005. The following year, the North Carolina Legislature decided to phase out video poker. Businesses were forced to drop to two machines on October 1, 2006. In March 2007, the machines had to drop to one in any business. By July 1, 2007, all machines were forced to go dark. Most businesses unplugged the games once the requirement dropped to one. The courts upheld multiple challenges to the video poker ban.

Creative video poker operators decided to launch sweepstakes cafes. These were internet cafes that spread slots and video poker. Players would buy computer time and get to play free games where money could be won. The legal theory behind the games was that players were not paying to enter the games, they were paying for computer time.

The games first appeared in 2007. The state legislature outlawed them in 2010. The sweepstakes cafes challenged the ban and were permitted to remain in operation while it worked its way through the courts. The North Carolina Supreme Court upheld the ban in 2013. Not satisfied with that ruling, the sweepstakes industry appealed to the N.C. Court of Appeals and lost again.

It was up to local law enforcement to contact owners and demand closure. This caused machines to linger well into 2015 as some sheriff departments were less motivated than others.

The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians negotiated a gaming pact with the state in 1994. High stakes real money bingo with video poker opened in a temporary facility in 1995. Harrah’s Cherokee held its grand opening in August 1997. The games were all slots that required skill, video poker, keno that required skill and electronic table games. A new gaming compact in 2013 permitted live table games to be spread at the two North Carolina casinos. That is when craps, roulette and house-banked table games were rolled out at Harrah’s Cherokee. The poker room maintained its PokerPro electronic tables until 2014. That is when some live tables were installed for higher limit games and World Series of Poker circuit events. The hybrid room remains today.

Harrah’s Cherokee was dry for the first 16 years of its existence. No alcohol was sold. Tribal members approved the sale of alcohol in 2009. It began to pour in 2010. Harrah’s Cherokee and Thunder Valley River do not comp drinks to players.

The Cherokee Indians were able to place land near Murphy into a trust. This permitted it to obtain a second gaming compact for a casino. It is called Harrah’s Thunder River Valley River. It opened in September 2015. The same games are spread at Harrah’s Thunder River Valley River as Harrah’s Cherokee. It is just smaller than the main resort. The two casinos are about one hour apart.

The only other form of gambling in North Carolina is a state lottery. It passed the state legislature on August 31, 2005. It required a tie-breaking vote from Lt. Gov. Bev Purdue in the state senate. Two state senators that were opposed to the lottery were absent. The first lottery ticket was sold on November 29, 2006.

North Carolina Casinos & Gambling FAQ

The minimum North Carolina gambling age is 21 years for casino players, 18 years for lottery players, and there is no minimum gambling age for bingo or raffles.

Harrah’s and its sister casino Harrah’s Thunder Valley River offer slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette and house-banked card games.

Harrah’s Cherokee offers a live poker room. Some tables are electronic. Those are used for lower stake games.

The two casinos are just over one hour apart. The distance is 56 miles.

Yes. It sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.

No.

There are no forms of online gambling that are legal in the state.

Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina

The law is silent on the issue. The sites claim to be skill contests and not gambling.

DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports and Yahoo! are the largest sites that accept North Carolina daily fantasy sports players.

Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina State

No. It was outlawed in 2006. The last legal machines were unplugged by July 1, 2007.

Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina

No. The North Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals upheld the 2010 ban initiated by the state legislature.

Legal Gambling Age In North Carolina U.s

Harrah’s Thunder River Valley is the closest casino to Atlanta. It is about two hours away.