North Carolina Casinos

North Carolina has two casino resorts, both owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI): Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel in Murphy. The EBCI’s tribal-state compact authorizes Class III casino gaming on the Qualla Boundary and associated tribal land near Murphy. Caesars Entertainment manages both properties under the Harrah’s brand.

The two properties serve a mountain-resort tourism market. Cherokee sits near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Tennessee border. Murphy is in southwestern North Carolina near the Georgia border. Their mountain locations make them destination properties for regional visitors rather than urban casinos.

Eastern Band Cherokee Casinos: Two Mountain Properties

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians operates both North Carolina casinos under its gaming compact with the state. The EBCI negotiated its first gaming compact in 1994, and the relationship with Caesars Entertainment (Harrah’s) as the management partner has been in place since the late 1990s.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians casino properties

H

Harrah’s Cherokee

Cherokee

24/7 · Poker Room

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Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River

Murphy

24/7

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel in Murphy is the second and smaller of the two properties, opened in 2015. It serves the far southwestern corner of North Carolina and draws from nearby Georgia and Tennessee communities. The gaming floor is more compact than Cherokee but runs a full complement of table games and slots. The hotel is adjacent to the Valley River, and the surrounding landscape reflects the same mountain character as the Cherokee location. Murphy is about 90 miles southwest of Cherokee on US-74.

North Carolina Sports Betting

North Carolina passed the North Carolina Sports Wagering Act in June 2023, authorizing mobile sports betting statewide and retail sportsbooks at the tribal casinos. Mobile betting launched in March 2024 with licensed operators including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and others. The launch coincided with the NCAA Tournament, which made the timing commercially significant for operators and bettors.

Retail sports wagering is available at both Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River. The minimum age for sports betting is 21, matching the casino gambling minimum.

North Carolina Gambling Law and Regulation

The North Carolina Lottery Commission administers sports betting licensing. The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and the EBCI oversee tribal gaming under the compact. North Carolina has no commercial casino licensing structure, so casino gaming requires a tribal compact under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Quick Visitor Reference

• From Charlotte: Harrah’s Cherokee is approximately 160 miles west (~2.5 hours) via I-40 and US-19
• From Asheville: Harrah’s Cherokee is approximately 55 miles southwest (~1 hour)
• From Atlanta: Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River (Murphy) is approximately 90 miles north (~1.5 hours)
• From Knoxville, TN: Harrah’s Cherokee is approximately 65 miles southeast (~1.5 hours)
• Only casinos in NC: Both are Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tribal properties
• Sports betting: Legal statewide mobile since March 2024; retail at both Cherokee casinos
• Minimum age: 21 at both casinos and for sports betting