North Carolina Sports Betting Continues to Grow in September

Bettors in the Tar Heel State stayed busy in September.

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission has reported that the state saw $691.3 million in paid sports betting wagers during September. This handle was higher than in 2025, but gross wagering revenue was slightly down to $65.1 million. 

However, the state’s new 23% tax rate generated $15 million in tax revenue, the highest monthly total since April 2024.

Football Betting Delivers Boost

As with most online sports betting markets in the US, North Carolina benefited from the beginning of the 2026 college and pro football seasons. 

While the North Carolina Tar Heels have once again disappointed at the college level, the Carolina Panthers reinvigorated their beaten-down fanbase in a big way. After making the playoffs last season, the team saw quarterback Bryce Young take a major step forward in September, giving fans hope for another postseason run.

The state doesn’t have an MLB franchise, but North Carolina online sportsbooks still saw an uptick in wagers amid a thrilling playoff race.

NC On Pace for a Record Year

After a disappointing June, North Carolina’s sports betting market has entered the 2027 fiscal year on a scorching hot pace.

Things started off in July, when the state saw a massive spike due to the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted in the US. This led to just over $14 million in tax revenue, which is $10 million more than the state saw in July 2025.

The market stayed hot in August, which saw an increase of around $40 million compared to last year.

With the football season underway and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes starting their season in October, the state’s sports betting market appears on pace for a record-setting year. 

Could Another Tax Hike Be Coming?

North Carolina officially raised the online sportsbooks tax rate from 18% to 23% on July 1, 2023. This kicked off the new fiscal year and has delivered immediate results for the state. 

This success could be bad news for sportsbook operators in the state. While they opposed any tax hike in North Carolina, the 5% agreed upon by lawmakers was far lower than other proposals. Fears that increased operating costs would be passed on to bettors led many to support a smaller hike, but proponents of larger hikes promised to continue their fight in 2027.

With the tax rate having a positive impact, the state may consider further increasing costs for operators. This could include another tax hike or even a per-wager tax similar to the one used in Illinois. While this would once again face fierce industry opposition, FY 2027’s strong numbers could lead lawmakers to defy it again.