North Carolina’s regulated sports betting market recorded another strong month in July, with players wagering $566.3 million during the period, according to figures released by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission.
Account holders placed $566,349,683 in paid and promotional wagers between July 1 and July 31. Players received $498,728,763 in winnings during the month. The latest total represents a 52.9% increase from July 2025, although betting activity declined 3.9% from June.
The state’s seven licensed online operators reported $63.2 million in gross wagering revenue, compared with $54.1 million in June. Estimated tax receipts reached $14 million.
July Results Underline Market Growth
North Carolina launched mobile sports wagering in March 2024, and the July figures show how substantially activity has increased since the market entered operation.
Despite the month-on-month decline, July’s handle remained well above levels seen during the market’s first full year. The results also come as lawmakers continue changing the tax structure governing online wagering.
Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 257 into law in July, raising the online sports betting tax rate from 18% to 23%.
The legislation also established separate taxation for prediction market operators. From January 1, 2027, those platforms will pay a 6% tax on net trading fee income. The separate arrangement creates a different financial framework for event-based trading platforms as their presence in sports markets continues to receive attention from policymakers.
Prediction Markets Draw State Attention
Prediction markets have become another area of regulatory attention in North Carolina. In May, Stein signed an executive order preventing state employees from using non-public information obtained through their official duties to participate in prediction markets.
The measure builds on provisions in the state’s Ethics Act and addresses potential conflicts involving event-based trading platforms. The action came as operators including Kalshi and Polymarket expanded sports-related event contracts across the US.
The new tax framework also separates prediction markets from licensed sportsbooks. While sportsbooks must hold state gambling licences, prediction-market operators will not need those licences under the new system.
Casino Expansion Adds To Wider Growth
Sports betting is expanding alongside other parts of North Carolina’s gambling industry. The Catawba Nation has announced plans for two additional casino projects following the opening of the $1.2 billion Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain.
The resort, located about 50 kilometres west of Charlotte, is expected to become one of the state’s largest gaming destinations when construction finishes in 2027.
Catawba Nation Chief Brian Harris said sites for the two future developments have already been identified, although negotiations remain underway and the locations have not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, the projected cost of Two Kings has risen from an earlier estimate of roughly $700 million in 2024 to around $1.2 billion. The increase highlights the scale of investment accompanying the state’s wider gambling expansion as new casino development progresses alongside the established mobile betting market.
Source:
“Report on sports wagering revenue in July posted”, ncgaming.gov, August 28, 2026
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