The legal situation around gambling in North Carolina is complex. Real money online casinos are not permitted under state law but online sportsbooks are. So does that mean there’s a North Carolina online casino bonus available?
Yes! North Carolina residents can access sweepstakes casinos which make use of virtual currencies and real money online sportsbooks. Both of these gaming options are completely legal. In this guide, we’ve picked out the top bonus options across both types of site. So whether you enjoy online slots, or you prefer sports betting, you’ll find everything you need to get started.
Playing at real money online casinos isn’t currently legal in North Carolina but that doesn’t mean that casino fans have to miss out. Sweepstakes casinos provide a viable alternative and are widely available in the Tar Heel State.
We’ve been through the options available to NC players and selected three of the best based on game selection and promotions. The table below provides a quick reference overview of each site’s welcome bonus:
| Site | Signup bonus |
|---|---|
| RealPrize | 100,000 GC and 2 SC |
| Crown Casino | 100,000 Crown Coins and 2 S Sweeps Coins |
| McLuck | 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC |
RealPrize is one of the most popular sweepstakes casino sites and provides new players with a magnificent welcome bonus of 100,000 Gold Coins and 2 Sweepstakes Coins. Fresh members also have the option to get a first GC purchase deal on Gold Coin bundles containing up to 625,000 GC and 125 SC but this is 100% voluntary.
Once you’re an established member at RealPrize, you can explore all of the ongoing promotions. There’s a daily login bonus delivering 5,000 GC and 0.3 SC as well as play and win tournaments. You can also check out regular giveaways on social media and a referral bonus that offers up to 200,000 Gold Coins and 70 Sweeps Coins.
Crown Coins launched in 2023 and, since then, has become a popular favorite for many players, including those in North Carolina. Sign up to Crown Coins and you’ll receive 100,000 Crown Coins (equivalent to Gold Coins) and 2 free Sweepstakes Coins without a promo code. You’ll also receive your first daily login bonus of 5,000 Crown Coins. The login bonus increases cumulatively when you sign in on consecutive days, going all the way up to 50,000 Crown Coins and 1.5 Sweeps Coins on day seven.
Beyond this, Crown Casino gives members many more opportunities to receive free Crown and Sweepstakes Coins. You can take part in daily missions, refer friends and explore social media contests. There’s also a VIP Club offering daily bonuses and access to exclusive games.
Like Crown Coins, McLuck launched in 2023 and has become an industry leader. It’s also one of the best sweepstakes casino apps — available to download onto iOS or Android systems.
Sign up to McLuck and you’ll receive 7,500 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins absolutely free when you use our special bonus code DEADSPIN. Again, this is followed up at McLuck by an optional GC purchase promotion. Offering 150% extra on the site’s standard GC purchase, this deal gives you a bundle of 100,000 GC plus 30 free Sweepstakes Coins for a special price of $9.99.
The welcome bonus at McLuck isn’t the biggest but it’s followed up by a number of ongoing promotions which give you daily chances to win Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins. That includes a multi-level loyalty program where the rewards can include weekly tournaments and personalized bonuses. The daily login delivers 2,500 GC and 1 SC and the referral bonus offers up to 150,000 GC and 75 SC depending on the initial GC purchase your friend makes.
One of the standout bonuses at this site is the McJackpot. There are four possible McJackpot prizes, going from the Mini pot, with a starting prize of 10,000 GC to the Grand pot, which contains a minimum of 200 million GC. You can strike any of the McJackpots while playing any game.
It’s not possible to play at North Carolina online casinos for real money but players in NC can access sweepstakes casinos. Instead of real money, sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks use two forms of virtual currency:
Games can be played in two modes at sweepstakes casinos — demo mode, using Gold Coins, and promotional mode, using Sweepstakes Casinos. A convenient toggle on the site allows you to easily switch between the two.
Generally, sweepstakes casinos don’t require you to use any promo codes so these bonuses are very easy to claim. Every sweepstakes casino has a slightly different process but these are the basic steps you’ll need to follow:
Even though you’re playing for free, it doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from a few hints to make the most of your time at sweepstakes casinos.
Once you’ve completed the basic account setup, you’ll be required to verify your account. This ensures that you meet the site’s age and residency requirement. We’ve found that it’s best to complete this at the point of sign up so you’re able to redeem Sc winnings for prizes when you’ve achieved the minimum playthrough and eligibility requirements.
To complete verification, you’ll need to provide:
Even if you’re not planning to play that day, it’s often worth spending the few seconds it takes to log in. This will trigger the daily login bonus and mean you’ll have Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins waiting for you when you’re ready to play.
Sweepstakes casinos maintain an active presence across social media, especially Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). As well as sharing information on new games, sweepstakes casinos often post free Gold Coin and Sweepstakes Coin giveaways. Some require you to like or share a post or take part in a contest but, either way, free GC and SC could be your reward for getting social.
There are no legal online casinos in North Carolina offering real money play but sweepstakes casinos can allow you to redeem real life prizes. As a reminder, only Sweepstakes Coins can be redeemed as prizes.
Every sweepstakes casino has its own terms around prize redemptions, which are vital reading. Check especially the playthrough rate of SC and the minimum balance of SC you’ll need to redeem a gift card or a cash prize.
Sweepstakes casinos are home to a huge array of game types, from slots to live dealer games where a dealer interacts with players via a live video feed. Gold Coins are ideal for exploring the games lobby as they’re topped up every day for free. This is a good chance to try games you might not have experienced before, such as slingo slots (which combine a traditional slot with elements of bingo) or traditional casino style games.
Beyond the welcome promotions, there are many North Carolina online casino bonus offers available at sweepstakes sites:
You can share the sweepstakes fun with your friends and receive rewards of free Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins. Send your friend a personal referral code and, when they sign up, you’ll both receive free GC and SC. Potentially, they may be required to make a Gold Coin purchase but this will be clearly outlined on the site.
Although not an NC casino no deposit bonus, the daily login releases free Gold Coins, and sometimes free Sweepstakes Coins, every 24 hours.
Sweepstakes casinos host regular slots tournaments and game challenges. Generally, to participate, members will play one selected slot and ascend a leaderboard. At the end of the competition, the players in the top leaderboard positions will receive a share of a Gold Coin or Sweepstakes Coin prize fund.
Following a change in state law in 2023, online sports betting is now legal in North Carolina for those aged at least 21. Several sportsbooks have entered the state but we’ve selected the best two based on their welcome promotion:
| Site | Promotion |
|---|---|
| bet365 | Choice of offers: |
| BetMGM | Safety net bet up to $1,500 |
bet365 was the first sportsbook to join the Tar Heel State once online sports betting sites became legal. To welcome new bettors, there’s not just one bet365 sportsbook bonus; new members can choose between two sign up deals.
Although the minimum bet required for the first option is $5, the minimum possible deposit to bet365 is $10. There are no promo codes necessary but your free bets will expire after seven days.
bet365 is famous for its regular bonuses, from parlay boosts to increased odds that can give you a potentially larger payout if your selection wins.
BetMGM is a very well known brand around the world who have recently joined the North Carolina market. To welcome customers to the site, BetMGM has a straightforward signup promotion of a safety net bet up to $1,500.
To claim this deal, you’ll need to make a deposit of at least $10 and wager on any sport. If your initial wager loses, you’ll receive bonus bets back equal to your stake up to a maximum of $1,500. These bonus bets don’t have to be used all at once but will expire after seven days.
Once you’ve claimed the new bettor promo, you’ll find that BetMGM has many ongoing deals. This includes one of the best VIP Clubs in the industry, which offers rewards such as discounts on overnight stays at MGM resorts. There are also long running deals such as a referral bonus, and ongoing sports specific promotions.
Claiming bonuses at online sportsbooks is a little more complex than the promotions at sweepstakes casinos. However, bet365 and BetMGM are both very reputable, easy to use sites so signing up is a smooth process.
You should always make sure to check the terms and conditions of any bonus you’re considering. Look especially at any time limits on using free bets or any minimum deposits you have to meet. You should also make sure you’re clear on the wagering requirements. This will tell you how many times you need to play through any winnings before they can be withdrawn.
The sweepstake casino model doesn’t vary much between states so there are very few limitations for North Carolina players. You must make sure you meet the age requirements and you’ll need to be a resident of North Carolina at the time of signing up. This is confirmed by the site via geolocation software. Sweepstakes casinos will also check your home address details.
Bonuses at online sportsbooks in NC are only available to those aged at least 21. You’ll also need to be physically located in North Carolina state limits to register for a new account.
While real money online casino gambling remains illegal in North Carolina, sweepstakes casinos are an excellent alternative. These innovative sites allow you to play casino style slots and table games completely free using virtual currencies.
We’ve outlined the best sweepstakes site here and given you an overview of their bonus offers. From welcome deals, to daily logins, referral bonuses and VIP rewards, these bonuses make sure that you’ll always have GC and SC to explore the latest games.
Since 2023, sportsbooks have been legal for those aged 21+ in North Carolina, increasing the variety in the gaming landscape. In our opinion, bet365 and BetMGM are two of the very best sportsbook options and deliver straightforward bonuses to new bettors.
Whichever you prefer, you’ll find plenty to like at all of these sportsbooks and sweepstakes casinos. Use our links to check them out now.
Playing at real money online casinos isn’t legal in North Carolina at the time of writing. However, players aged at least 18 (or 21 for some sites) can play at sweepstakes casinos legally and for free.
Sweepstakes casinos don’t support real money deposits and withdrawals. Instead, you’ll use virtual currencies called Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins. That means it isn’t possible to play free slots for real money prizes. However, you can redeem Sweepstakes Coins as real money prizes once you’ve met the conditions set out by the site.
You can’t win real money directly while playing at sweepstakes casinos but you can redeem SC as real life prizes. To do this, each Sweepstakes Coin has to be played through at least once. You’ll also need to have a minimum number of SC to start the redemption process.
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