North Carolina: 58% of Residents Favor Casinos on Non-Native Lands

Currently, North Carolina’s gambling laws are quite restrictive, only permitting casinos on native tribal lands or aboard gambling cruise ships more than three miles off the coast. 

However, all that could soon take a different turn, with lawmakers considering the possibility of expanding casino options within the state.

58% Support for Casino Expansion 

During discussions on the General Assembly’s 2025 priorities, Senate minority leader Sydney Batch identified the expansion of casinos as one of two key non-partisan issues for 2024. 

The other priority, he noted, was medical marijuana, which is also expected to be revisited next year.

Recent polling by Meredith College highlights growing public support for casino legalization in the Tar Heel state. 

The survey showed that 58% of respondents were in favor of the possible legalization of casinos, while 32% opposed the idea, and the remaining 10% were left undecided. 

The poll’s director, David McLennan, pointed out that the state’s residents were already used to being subject to different types of gambling, which meant casino gambling was a less controversial topic for them. 

“We have the lottery, and we’ve just adopted online sports wagering,” he explained. “Plus, many neighboring states now have casinos, so even those who might have opposed casino gambling in the past may now accept that gambling in all its forms is becoming inevitable,” McLennan added. 

In June, the North Carolina Education Lottery announced that its digital instant game sales had exceeded $1 billion.

A March 2024 report by GeoComply emphasized the success of the online sports betting market in North Carolina, with the first 48 hours of activity confirming the “huge demand for legal online betting” in the state. 

Only Three Current Casino in NC

North Carolina’s existing casino options are limited. The largest casino in the state is Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, located about five hours from Raleigh on the tribal lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. 

Since its opening in 1997, Harrah’s Cherokee has expanded continuously, with a second, smaller location in Murphy. 

Additionally, the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, which opened as a temporary facility in 2021, is set to become a permanent resort by 2026, just 35 miles from Charlotte.

For those living in the Triangle area, neighboring states offer closer casino options, such as Bristol and Danville, Virginia, where Caesars Virginia welcomed its first guests on December 12, 2024.

This proximity has made lawmakers fear the potential loss of revenue, with residents choosing to cross state lines to engage in gambling instead of traveling within their own borders. 

The push for expanded casino options is now a key focus for state legislators aiming to keep that revenue in North Carolina.