Gov. Cooper signs law allowing sports gambling at NC tribal casinos

Sports betting became legal at two tribal casinos in North Carolina Friday when Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law a bill allowing it at those limited locations.

The bill restricts sports wagering to tribal lands only, and would not allow mobile wagering because it requires bets be placed only at Eastern Band of Cherokee casinos in Cherokee and Murphy.

It is estimated that revenue from adding sports and horse betting at these locations could generate between $1 million and $1.5 million annually for the state.

The Senate approved the measure last April and it sailed through the House earlier this month, passing on July 15.

This story was originally published July 26, 2019 at 3:33 PM.

Steve Wiseman

The News & Observer

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Steve Wiseman was named Raleigh News & Observer and Durham Herald-Sun sports editor in May 2025. He covered Duke athletics, beginning in 2010, prior to his current assignment. In the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest, he placed in the top 10 in beat writing in 2019, 2021 and 2022, breaking news in 2019, event coverage in 2025 and explanatory writing in 2018. Before coming to Durham in 2010, Steve worked for The State (Columbia, SC), Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, S.C.), The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.), Charlotte Observer and Hickory (NC) Daily Record covering beats including the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, University of South Carolina athletics and the S.C. General Assembly. He’s won numerous state-level press association awards. Steve graduated from Illinois State University in 1989.