WalletHub’s state-by-state gambling study put North Carolina 29th out of 50, with a combined score of 37.42 on a 100-point scale. The ranking compared states on gambling problems and treatment, along with gambling-friendliness, in a study framed against more than $100 billion in annual gambling losses by U.S. consumers.
North Carolina ranked No. 9 for gambling problems and treatment, but No. 36 for gambling-friendliness.
The broader leaderboard was led by Nevada, followed by South Dakota, Montana, Mississippi and Louisiana. At the other end, Utah ranked least gambling-addicted, with Hawaii, Kansas, Alaska and Vermont also near the bottom.
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-292.2, certain Class III gaming can be legally conducted on Indian lands if it is covered by a valid Tribal-State Gaming Compact, approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and if required payments go to the Indian Gaming Education Revenue Fund. The statute also limits each tribe to no more than three compact-authorised Class III gaming facilities.
The article said three casinos operate under that compact: Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Hotel & Casino in Murphy. It also said real-money online casinos are illegal in North Carolina, and that wagers with online operators not licensed by the state are not allowed.
Licensed online sports betting is legal for adults 21 years and older, with bets limited to sports approved by the N.C. Sports Wagering Catalog. The North Carolina State Lottery Commission says licensed operators must provide responsible-gaming tools, including deposit limits, wager limits, time limits, cooling-off periods, in-app self-exclusion and reality checks.
The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program says it provides prevention, education, outreach and treatment services across the state, is funded by the North Carolina Education Lottery and supported by the Department of Health and Human Services, and lists a helpline at 877-718-5543.
