NC sports betting in July up nearly $200M over previous year

Legal online sports betting operators in North Carolina paid more than $14 million in taxes in July, the first month that they had to pay a higher tax rate passed by state lawmakers, as betting soared compared to the previous July.

2026-08-28

Operators now pay a 23% tax on gross wagering revenue, up from the 18% rate that had been in place since legal sports betting launched in North Carolina in March 2024.

The operators reported $63.2 million in gross wagering revenue, the second-lowest monthly total of 2026. But the state collected more than $14 million in taxes, the second-highest monthly total of 2026. In January, the state collected $14.4 million in taxes.

Sports bettors in the state wagered more than $551 million in paid bets and $566 million in all bets in July, up nearly $200 million from July 2025. In July 2025, bettors wagered $361 million in paid bets and $370 million in all bets. The World Cup, hosted in the United States, finished on July 19.

The state doesn't release data about how much is bet on each sport or with each operator.

Sports betting is on pace to beat last year’s record of $7.0 billion in paid wagers in the state. Summer months are typically the slowest betting time of the year, and July’s totals – despite their increase — were the lowest since last August. The highest betting volume occurs during football season and in March.

Only 10 percent of North Carolinians wager weekly or more often, according to a new Meredith College poll of registered voters. The poll found that 62% of North Carolina reported never betting on sports. Fifteen percent said they bet one to three times per month, and 13% of respondents said they bet several times each year.

In addition to changing the tax rate paid by the sports betting operators, state lawmakers overhauled how the tax revenue is distributed. The athletic departments at NC State and North Carolina will receive a portion of the tax revenue for the first time, joining 13 other UNC System schools who have been receiving money since March 2024. The state budget also allowed bettors to deduct gambling losses against their winnings for the first time.