Sports betting is legal in NC: Here’s when, where you can place bets live during games

Joe Marusak
·1 min read
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Fans can legally bet on their favorite Charlotte and other pro sports teams under legislation signed into law by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in Charlotte Wednesday.

Want to gamble on the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets or Carolina Hurricanes? Charlotte FC, the PGA Tour event at Quail Hollow Country or NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

Now you can, including live on game day.

And five Charlotte-area venues are permitted to offer in-person sports books under the new law: Bank of America Stadium, Spectrum Center and Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte; Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord; and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

The setting sun illuminates the skyline during a game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte October 2, 2022.
The setting sun illuminates the skyline during a game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte October 2, 2022.

In-person sports books also are permitted at PNC Arena in Raleigh, WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary and Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro.

When could sports betting start?

The earliest new sports betting could see live action in North Carolina is Jan. 8, 2024, which means it won’t be available during regular season Carolina Panthers play but could be during the playoffs. Within 12 months of it becoming law. The Lottery Commission, tasked with regulating sports wagering, would determine the exact date it starts. That would mean the latest wagers could start would be in June 2024.

If regulators and venues are ready, live sports betting could be first available in Charlotte at the Spectrum Center for Hornets games midway through the NBA season.

Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington (25) shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during a game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Oct. 31, 2022.
Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington (25) shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during a game at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Oct. 31, 2022.

Odds look good for both Quail Hollow to see live sports betting underway in North Carolina by the time the 2025 PGA Championship is held in Charlotte and NASCAR’s Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

For Charlotte FC fans, sports gambling live in the Bank of America venue could start as early as the 2024 season.