Charlotte Casinos: How to Gamble Online & In-Person in Charlotte, North Carolina

In June 2023, North Carolina introduced a law that regulates online sports and horse-race betting, creating new competition for tribal casino sportsbooks. However, the bill has yet to go into effect.

Although this development represents a notable change in the state’s gambling scene, the regulation of other activities like casino and poker remains uncertain, without a clear timeline for potential updates. Luckily, individuals in Charlotte who are interested in online sports betting can explore offshore websites as a viable alternative.

Many of these online betting sites will also offer features such as live poker and live dealer tables, which add an extra layer of excitement to the customer’s experience.

Our guide below will take you through our top ten online casino options for Charlotte residents, as well as the different advantages, disadvantages and perks of each one.

Charlotte Land-Based Casino List

There are no Charlotte-area casinos, but North Carolina residents don’t have to travel too far to find a world-class casino. Below you can find North Carolina’s tribal casinos which are the nearest state-licensed casinos available:

Catawba Two Kings Mountain Casino

Catawba Two Kings Casino is a newly opened casino located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, approximately 30 miles west of Charlotte. This is the closest casino to downtown Charlotte; at least when it comes to a land-based casino. The casino is operated by the Catawba Indian Nation on Catawba Nation tribal lands and features over 60,000 square feet of gaming space.

Guests at the Two Kings Casino Catawba can enjoy a variety of slot machines and table games such as blackjack, roulette and more. The casino also offers a sportsbook where sports fans can place bets on various sporting events.

In addition to gaming, the casino also features multiple dining options, including a food court and a full-service restaurant. There is also a full-service bar and a retail shop, making this a great entertainment destination for gamblers.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Resort

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is a land-based casino which is located in the town of Cherokee, North Carolina, approximately a 2 hour drive from downtown Charlotte. The casino is operated by Caesars Entertainment and features over 150,000 square feet of gaming space, making it one of the largest casinos in the Southeast.

Gamblers can enjoy a variety of games including slots, table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps and much more. There is also a poker room with regular tournaments and promotions. The casino boasts over 3,000 slot machines and over 150 table games.

In addition to gaming, the resort features a luxury hotel with over 1,100 rooms, multiple dining options ranging from casual to fine dining, a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and a variety of entertainment venues. Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is a popular destination for both locals and tourists looking to try their luck at the slots or tables or simply enjoy a luxurious getaway.

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel is a casino and hotel located in Murphy, North Carolina, approximately 2.5 hours away from Charlotte. The casino is operated by Caesars Entertainment and features over 60,000 square feet of gaming space, including a variety of slot machines and table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps and more.

The casino also has a poker room with regular tournaments and promotions. The hotel features 300 guest rooms, as well as multiple dining options, including a buffet and a food court.

Guests can also enjoy a full-service bar, a retail shop and a fitness center. The casino also hosts various entertainment events throughout the year. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel is a popular destination for locals and tourists looking for a fun and exciting gaming experience or a comfortable stay in the mountains.

The Best Online Casinos in Charlotte

We have carefully researched and analyzed numerous online casinos available to Charlotte residents in order to create our list below of the best sportsbooks to sign up with.

All of the online casinos on our list offer customers a high-quality gambling experience, as well as various bonuses and a high level of customer care and service.

1. BookMaker – Best overall online casino site in Charlotte 
2. Bovada – Top Charlotte casino for poker 
3. BetOnline – Number 1 Charlotte casino site for slots 
4. Heritage Sports – Best Charlotte for customer service 
5. BetAnySports – Reduced juice sportsbook with large casino section 
6. BetUS – Largest bonuses for Charlotte casino players 
7. WagerWeb – Impressive all-around Charlotte online casino 
8. JustBet – Best Charlotte casino for slots tournaments 
9. Everygame – Superb selection of slots and table games 
10. SportsBetting – High-limit online casino in Charlotte 

Best Online Casino Sites in Charlotte List Reviewed 

Check out our detailed guides for the best online casinos and sports betting sites available to Charlotte residents and find the perfect casino choice for you, such as the ones with the largest game selections, the fastest payout times and a wide range of current promotions for online casino players:

1. BookMaker: Best Overall Online Casino In Charlotte

Bookmaker.eu is the first name on our list and is an exceptional option for Charlotte residents looking for a high-quality online casino site. This site offers a variety of online casino games, including slots, some of which boast an RTP greater than 97%. Not only does BookMaker offer an attractive loyalty program for customers who stick with the site consistently, but it also provides customers with a variety of generous bonuses with their rewards programs.

With over twenty-five years in the online gambling industry, BookMaker has learned the ins and outs of the business which is why they boast one of the biggest casino libraries of table games, along with their own unique versions of the most popular table gaming options.

2. Bovada: Leading Charlotte Casino for Poker

Bovada Casino is another great option for online casino players who are looking for a high-quality site to play online casino games. This site also offers a huge selection of sports betting options, but this does not take away from its incredible casino section that has over 200 games, with more than 100 different versions of slots.

Customers can play games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat, while the Bovada Casino also allows customers to play in the busiest poker room out of all of the poker sites in the United States. The casino itself is also incredibly easy to navigate, guiding customers to features such as large welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, generous deposit matches on Bitcoin deposits and same-day Bitcoin payouts, among many other perks that you can unlock with a Bovada promo code. As a matter of fact, Bovada Casino offers a specific casino promo with the code “CAWELCOME,” which gives a 100% match up to $1,000 on the first deposit at the casino.

3. BetOnline: Best Slots Site in Charlotte

In terms of diversity and variety, you will not find a better online casino than BetOnline. This site not only offers a range of high-limit table games, but it also provides customers with more than 350 different slot games in its online casino. Their platform also has an outstanding video poker section.

BetOnline also offers a live dealer section as well as generous bonuses and promotions, including a 100% welcome bonus of up to $1,000 on their first three deposits using BetOnline promo codes. Some other impressive features of the site include its excellent 24/7 customer care and service, impressive site software and quick and easy crypto withdrawals, as well as 20% reload bonuses available to customers.

4. Heritage Sports: Best Charlotte Casino for Customer Service 

Heritage Sports is another excellent option for Charlotte residents. This site focuses greatly on customer care and satisfaction, aiming to give every customer a VIP experience. The site used to be invite-only; however, it has since opened up for anyone to enjoy.

However, they still ensure everyone gets an online casino experience that is second to none in terms of quality and enjoyment with a very strong casino area, especially when it comes to promotions, including an 8% rebate bonus on losses (4x rollover).

The Heritage Sports casino has a wide selection of table games, online slots and more, while the live dealer casino is a highly attractive feature for many customers. 

5. BetAnySports: Reduced Juice Sportsbook with Large Casino 

BetAnySports is another attractive online betting site available to residents of Charlotte. This site generally prioritizes sports betting and focuses a lot of its energy there, but it does still offer an exceptional casino experience to all of its customers.

The unique appeal of this site is that its casino section is made up of numerous components, such as Grand Casino, Bonus Casino and the Jackpot Casino. This allows BetAnySports to offer U.S. players a huge selection of games, all of which may appeal to different customers in different ways. For example, the latter option offers a variety of 3D titles while slots enthusiasts can head to the first area mentioned.

This provider has focused on quality over quantity, hence you’ll notice some world-known brands such as BetSoft, Nucleus Gaming and Realtime Gaming among the software providers. New Charlotte players at this site have their choice of various welcome promo offers.

6. BetUS: Best VIP Service

BetUS is one of the best online casinos when it comes to bonuses and promotions. New customers who are joining the site can take advantage of a 125% welcome bonus worth up to $2,500, including $626 in casino credits. These casino credits also have a 30x rollover.

BetUS also offers a unique BetUS TV section on which customers can view analysis and tips from experienced bettors which can help them develop their casino skills and have more success in the games they play.  

Furthermore, not only does BetUS make use of fast and efficient software to make sure the site is as easy to navigate as possible, but it also offers competitive odds, as well as an overall secure and trustworthy online casino experience for its customers. 

7. WagerWeb: Best Top Bonuses

WagerWeb is another highly popular offshore sportsbook and an excellent option for anyone in Charlotte looking for a fun and enjoyable online casino experience. This site has generated its reputation for being a trustworthy and enjoyable online casino over nearly thirty years of working in the online betting industry. 

This has allowed WagerWeb to not only learn exactly what the customer wants but also exactly how to give it to them. Not only does this site offer competitive odds and quick and easy payouts, but it has done so for nearly three decades now, which has attracted and kept a large customer base for the site.  

WagerWeb also offers a highly impressive casino with over two hundred online casino games. Not only do customers of the site have a wide variety of casino games to choose from including blackjack, roulette, crabs, 3 card poker and more, but they can also enjoy the many generous bonuses. Some of these bonuses include a 50% cash bonus, cashback on certain bets and a free bet when you refer a friend to the site.

8. JustBet: Great for Live Betting 

JustBet is another highly impressive online casino site and the sister site of BookMaker. If you are looking for an online casino that is straightforward, easy to navigate and offers an exciting and enjoyable online casino experience with multiple forms of gambling on offer, then JustBet is a great option for you.

While it may not be as impressive as BookMaker, the high betting limits and excellent customer care JustBet provides make it a truly worthy inclusion to our list.

Another major benefit of JustBet is the availability of free games in the site’s casino section. U.S. players can try out games for free to see which ones they enjoy the most and find their favorites before beginning to bet on them with real money. Furthermore, JustBet also offers various benefits and promotions to both its new and existing customers, while also accepting Bitcoin payments.

9. Everygame: Slick Mobile Experience 

Everygame is another popular online betting site with an exceptional casino section made up of casino red, casino classic and poker features. Each of the casino features includes various games, all of which offer something different to cater to the needs of every customer. They also allow customers to engage in games such as video slots and video poker, which undoubtedly add an extra layer of excitement to the online casino experience.

In addition to its extensive casino sections, this site also offers new customers a 100% welcome bonus with an 8x rollover available on their first three deposits, as well as various other bonuses for existing customers. For even more added value, the promo codes at Everygame can also help to quickly boost your bankroll. Everygame also offers an extensive selection of sports betting markets and options where sports fans can bet on all of their favorite sports teams, making it stand out from some other sports betting sites.

10. SportsBetting: Best for Competitive Bonuses 

SportsBetting is the final online casino site on our list, but not for a lack of quality. While Sports Betting sounds like they might only take bets on professional sports teams and college sports teams, this sports betting site offers residents of Charlotte an endless selection of fun and exciting casino games including slots, blackjack, roulette and many others.

SportsBetting.ag also offers not one, but two highly attractive live poker sections in live casino red and live casino black. Both of these sections allow customers to engage in video poker, where they can bet and interact with dealers and other players in real time. Some of the games in this section include various types of multi-hand, single-hand, pyramid poker and other video poker games. Customers can enjoy the thrill and excitement of playing in a real-life casino, all from the comfort of their own homes.

Not only this, but Sportsbetting also offers specialty games, as well as many bonuses and promotions for both new and existing customers of the site. One of these bonuses is a 100% casino welcome bonus on the initial deposit for new customers worth up to $1,000 on their first three deposits, adding up to an incredible bonus of $3,000. Other bonuses offered include 20% monthly reloads, 10% weekly casino rebates and weekly deposit boosts.

Gambling Laws in Charlotte 2024 – Is gambling legal in Charlotte?

Various forms of gambling are legal in Charlotte, North Carolina under North Carolina’s gambling laws, including:

• State lottery games and charity bingo games
• Online horse racing at racetracks, off-track facilities, websites and apps
• Slot machines, poker, video poker machines and table gaming machines at legal casinos
• Daily Fantasy Sports contests via mobile apps and sports betting websites

The minimum gambling age is 18 for events such as charity bingo games and state lotteries. However, in North Carolina, you must be at least 21 to enter a land-based casino.

Outside of these forms of gambling, your only legal sports betting options or online casino options are with an offshore casino. There is no legal retail sports betting available in the state. Online sports betting bills and retail betting bills have faced many legal challenges, so it is unclear if and when these (and other forms of gambling) will become legal in the state.

Online Gambling in Charlotte in 2024

Online gambling is not currently legal under North Carolina’s online sports betting legislation and online gambling legislation and therefore there are no online gambling sites native to Charlotte in operation at the moment.

However, residents of Charlotte can find legal, online casino gambling (and even online or mobile sports wagering) at offshore sportsbooks like the ones we have discussed above.

These sites are regulated and licensed by foreign licensing bodies and they operate legal casinos that cannot be controlled by authorities in Charlotte or the state of North Carolina. Not only do they offer plenty of options for online casino players, but they also feature legal, online sports betting, too.

These sites allow customers to play various internet casino games including slots, roulette and electronic table games, all completely legally from the comfort of their own homes.

If you would like to bet on sports in North Carolina or play at an online casino, we encourage you to use one of the sites we have discussed previously on this page, as we have ensured all of these sites are completely safe and reliable for residents of Charlotte, as well as anyone else in North Carolina.

History of Gambling in Charlotte

The legality of gambling in North Carolina, let alone the United States, can be confusing, which is why you should check out our guide below on the history of casino gambling in Charlotte and the laws that have been put in place throughout the years.

• 2012: Table games, like poker tables, baccarat tables and blackjack tables, became available at the state’s land-based casinos.
• 2007: Video poker machines were banned in North Carolina.
• 2005: Harrah’s Cherokee, a casino operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, opens in the western part of North Carolina after the state’s legislature approves a bill allowing tribal gaming operations. The casino offers various gaming options, restaurants and a hotel.
• 1997: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians launches a bingo hall on tribal land, which would eventually evolve into the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.
• 1993: Cherokee Tribal Gaming Commission was established and started its fight for legal casinos.
• 1988: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is passed by the U.S. Congress, allowing federally recognized tribes to operate casinos on tribal land, subject to both state and federal regulations.
• 1985: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is granted federal recognition as a sovereign nation, giving the tribe the ability to negotiate a gaming compact with the state of North Carolina.
• 1753: Gambling is forbidden in public.

How do I stay safe playing casino games online in Charlotte?

One of the most important ways to ensure you are safe when playing online casino games is to make sure that you are playing on a reliable and trustworthy site that is legislated and approved by a foreign licensing body.

Some of the sites that we have listed previously, including BookMaker, Bovada, BetOnline and Heritage Sports, are all completely safe and secure online gambling sites.

Another beneficial way to guarantee your safety when playing online casino games in Charlotte is to come up with a strong password for your account and refrain from logging into your account on any public computer or device. Online sports bettors and gamblers should always take every precaution that they can when betting on their favorite sports teams or playing their favorite games at an online casino.

The Best Online Casino in Charlotte

In terms of the best online casino for residents of Charlotte, any of the sites on our list could be picked, as it truly depends on the personal preference of the person who will be playing on the site.

However, due to its overall appeal to a variety of customers, as well as its high-quality service and next-level casino experience, Bookmaker.eu is our number one choice due to a variety of factors such as their massive selection of games, ongoing promotions, customer service and betting odds. Furthermore, Bovada, BetOnline and Heritage Sports also deserve a mention as quality online casino sites. All of these sites offer a wide variety of great bonuses, a massive selection of games and betting markets, high RTP and payout percentages and fast payout times.

With any of these top-rated offshore casinos, you should always be mindful of any ongoing promotions that they might be offering, particularly initial deposit welcome bonuses, reload bonuses and rebates, as these can really help put more money into your bankroll.

FAQs – Online Casinos in Charlotte