Casino fans in North Carolina have the option to play online at sweepstakes casinos. These casinos operate using virtual currencies and offer the chance to exchange coins for prizes. Sweepstakes casinos are an excellent option since real-money online casinos remain illegal in the Tar Heel State. On this page, our experts give in-depth insights into how you can enjoy online casino games in North Carolina.
RTP: 97.96%
Payout: 1-2 days
Games: 650+
RTP: 97.12%
Payout: 0-3 days
Games: 1,000+
RTP: 95%
Payout: 1-5 days
Games: 500+
RTP: 96.59%
Payout: 0-24 hours
Games: 3,000+
RTP: 97%
Payout: 1-5 days
Games: 650+
RTP: 96.80%
Payout: 2-10 days
Games: 1,500+
RTP: 96.01%
Payout: 1-3 days
Games: 1,200+
RTP: 96%
Payout: 3-5 days
Games: 1,300+
RTP: 98.40%
Payout: 1-3 days
Games: 1,200+
RTP: 97.82%
Payout: 1-3 days
Games: 1,400+
Real-money casinos are currently not legal in North Carolina. However, there are plenty of options available for players who want to enjoy casino games at online sweepstakes casinos.
Newly launched casinos often try to offer the most exciting bonuses and features to players. Here are some excellent new online casinos that have launched in the past year and are available to players in North Carolina:
North Carolina does not currently have any laws restricting online sweepstakes casinos from operating. This means that when new sweeps casinos launch, North Carolina is one of the states they offer service in. There are plenty of options for NC players, and of course, the Casino.us team will keep you updated when new casinos are available.
Jay Henderson
Online Casino Expert
42+ articles written for Casino.us
New casinos trying to win attention from players will often offer bigger, flashier bonuses. Don’t let that be the only factor that decides where you play! We always recommend digging a little deeper to make sure you find the right fit.
Before you try your luck at one of the exciting sweepstakes casinos available to players in North Carolina, you can try out some top games with us. There’s a wide range of casino-style games available to players in NC, including video slots, table games, live dealer games, and more. You can try some here before you pick a casino to play at.
You’ll need to be at least 21 to legally play online casino games at a sweepstakes casino in North Carolina. While it isn’t necessary to be a resident of North Carolina, you must be physically within state lines to access an online sweepstakes casino account. Casinos will use geolocation software to ensure that you are in a state where they currently operate.
While real-money online casino games are not legal in North Carolina, the state allows the operation of land-based tribal casinos. However, only three tribal casinos are currently in operation.
Sports betting is legal in North Carolina; land-based sports betting was legalized in 2021, while online sports betting followed in 2024. Neither poker rooms nor pari-mutuel wagering on horse races are currently authorized within the state.
The North Carolina State Lottery Commission oversees all gambling in the state. In addition to licensing and regulating the industry, the Commission also ensures fair play and protects player interests by ensuring responsible gambling resources are available to all players.
Playing online slots and other casino games at sweepstakes casinos is legal in North Carolina. Sweepstakes casinos use a no-purchase-necessary model that allows players to enjoy the games using virtual currency. Additional coin bundles are available for purchase at players’ discretion.
While sweepstakes or social casinos are not regulated or licensed by the state, our experts have closely vetted the products which offer the best security and value to their players.
Max Brimmer
Sweepstakes Expert
8 reviews written for Casino.us
At a sweepstakes casino, you don’t play directly with cash. Instead, there are two virtual currencies you use for placing bets. These are usually called Gold Coins (GC), which are used for bonus play, and Sweeps Coins (SC), which can potentially be turned over and redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards.
It’s easy for players in North Carolina to sign up at an online sweepstakes casino, and there are plenty of great options to choose from. Our team of experts has thoroughly tested all the casinos we recommend, and the steps to create your own account are generally simple. This is roughly what you can expect:
All the sweepstakes casinos that our experts have vetted offer an excellent range of bonuses and promotions. Casinos use exciting no-deposit bonus offers to encourage new players to sign up, but we also expect to see offers available to loyal players once the no-deposit bonus runs out.
Every sweepstakes casino has its own configuration of daily, weekly, and seasonal promotions. These promos help players earn coins, so they can keep playing even if they do not purchase any extra coin packages. Here are a few of the common promos you’re likely to see:
Crown Coins
200% More Coins on First Purchase - 1,500,000 CC + 75 SC
Welcome package / First purchase bonus
Wagering
1x
Min purchase
$1.99
Valid
48 hours
You can play at North Carolina online sweepstakes casinos without spending any money. However, there are also packages of sweepstakes coins available for purchase should you wish to add more coins to your account. These packages generally include free Sweeps Coins as a bonus offer.
Players who wish to make a purchase can choose from several reputable banking options. However, it’s important to know that the available methods vary between different sweepstakes casinos, and not all payment providers are available for both purchases and redemptions.
Below, you can see a list of our top-rated North Carolina sweepstakes casinos, their redemption minimums, and commonly accepted payment methods:
There are lots of excellent casinos out there, however there are unsafe ones too. Offshore casinos and other illegal operations do not offer the same security or player protections as the casinos that our experts rate and recommend.
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Jay Henderson
Online Casino Expert
Calgary, Canada
Jay has a wealth of experience in the iGaming industry covering online casinos around the world. For over four years, Jay has researched and written extensively about online casinos in markets as diverse as the United States, Canada, India, and Nigeria. He joined the Casino.us team in early 2025 to bring his expertise to the regulated US casino market.
View Jay's reviewsMax Brimmer
Sweepstakes Expert
Santa Venera, Malta
Max has had a long history of writing in professional contexts, including journalism, cultural commentary, marketing and brand content, and more. Her career has led her through interesting industries such as technology, film, and television before finally landing in the iGaming industry in 2014.
View Max's reviewsAll forms of gambling used to be outlawed in North Carolina. Although it is still not the most permissive state when it comes to gambling laws, the legalization of sports betting was a big step forward for players in the state.
Colonial law bans public gambling in the state.
Charitable bingo and raffles are legalized statewide for nonprofits.
First tribal casino opens in North Carolina.
North Carolina State Lottery is launched.
Video poker is banned in the state.
Tribal casinos receive approval to add table games.
HB 279 proposes the regulation of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) but fails to pass.
Land-based sports betting launches at North Carolina tribal casinos.
Online sports betting is legalized and regulated in North Carolina.
Players in North Carolina have plenty of opportunities to play casino-style games. However, not all casinos you may see advertised are operating within legal restrictions. It is important to familiarize yourself with the laws concerning online gambling in North Carolina, and to know the difference between an offshore casino and a sweepstakes casino.
State law prohibits real-money online wagers in North Carolina. Sweepstakes casinos operate using two virtual currencies and allow players to enjoy casino games without obligating them to use cash. Although it is possible to purchase extra coins for extended play sessions, the no-purchase-necessary model used at sweepstakes casinos sets them apart from real-money casinos.
You may have seen ads for what are known as offshore real-money casinos. These sites are not licensed or regulated by North Carolina or any other US governing body and are operating illegally under state law.
We never recommend playing at an offshore casino even in states where they are not strictly prohibited. Since these sites are unregulated, there are no protections for players, their money, or their personal information.
While commercial land-based casinos remain illegal in North Carolina, a trio of tribal casinos operate in the state. These three tribal casinos are situated in the state’s western section.
The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina opened Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in 1997 and Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino in 2015. In 2021, the Catawba Indian Nation opened the Catawba Two Kings Casino.
These tribal casinos operate under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), with regulation carried out by tribal gaming commissions and National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) oversight. Tribal casinos operate under tribal-state compacts which are approved at the federal level.
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort opened November 13, 1997, on a 56-acre property 50 miles southwest of Asheville at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance. The site has since undergone two renovations.
In 2012, a $650 million upgrade expanded the casino floor and added a third hotel tower, a 3,000-seat events center, and a luxury spa. In 2017, the casino added a fourth hotel tower, a convention center, an entertainment center, and a parking deck.
Harrah's Valley River Casino & Hotel is located on an 85-acre tract of tribal land in the western North Carolina mountains. It opened on Sept. 28, 2015, and underwent a $275 million expansion in 2022. They added more gaming space, a hotel tower, a spa, a rooftop restaurant, and a parking deck.
The newest tribal casino in the state, the Catawba Indian Nation, is constructing a casino resort in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. It’s a small suburban city near the state line with South Carolina, about 33 miles west of Charlotte. It’s currently operating out of a temporary casino. The leading site, offering a 1,500-room hotel, entertainment center, restaurants, and stores, is slated to open early in 2026.
No, real-money online casinos are not currently legal in North Carolina. Real-money casino games are only available at the three tribal land-based casinos currently open in the state.
Yes, you can play online casino games at sweepstakes casinos in North Carolina. You can play with Gold Coins for fun or Sweepstakes Coins, which you can exchange for gift cards and cash sums.
You’ll find that you can access all the leading online sweepstakes casinos in North Carolina. As long as you are 21 or older, you’ll be welcome to play at sites like Crown Coins, Stake.us, and Big Pirate.
Yes, as long as you only play at recommended sweepstakes casinos. The sites that we test and recommend all use rigorous testing for game fairness, as well as cutting-edge security features to keep your data safe. We also recommend checking player reviews on Trustpilot to ensure the casino you choose has plenty of happy customers.
When you open an account with a sweepstakes casino in North Carolina, you will receive a no deposit welcome bonus consisting of GC and SC for use in the casino. There are often casino welcome bonus packages of additional coins you can purchase at a discount rate.
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