Opening North Carolina to the casino industry has never been a straightforward affair. It’s a story spanning decades, entangled in federal laws, tribal negotiations, political agendas, and cultural resistance. While other states sprinted into the gaming era, North Carolina moved—deliberately, cautiously. Below is a comprehensive timeline capturing the essential turns of this high-stakes campaign.
1990s: Foundations and First Steps
1997 — A pivotal year. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in the mountainous town of Cherokee. This wasn’t just a business decision—it was a seismic cultural shift. It became North Carolina’s first legal casino, operating under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988).
At the time, support was limited, even controversial. Some saw the move as a betrayal of the state’s conservative values. Yet the casino thrived, creating jobs and injecting revenue into an underserved region.
2000s: Incremental Expansion Meets Resistance
By the early 2000s, discussions about expanding casino gaming were bubbling—but so were objections.
2006 — The state approved the North Carolina Education Lottery. It was a less controversial way to introduce legal gambling, under the guise of funding public education. But the lottery’s success opened the door, psychologically and legislatively, to broader gambling reforms.
2009 — Enter the Catawba Indian Nation. Based in South Carolina but seeking territory in North Carolina, the Catawba submitted a plan to build a casino in Kings Mountain. That proposal quickly met a flurry of legal and political hurdles. Critics cited land rights disputes, while tribal competitors accused them of territorial overreach.
2010s: Courtrooms, Congress, and Cautious Progress
The 2010s were dominated by legal maneuvering and federal-level lobbying.
2015 — The Catawba made a strategic play. They requested that the U.S. Department of the Interior take 16 acres of land into trust—a key step toward federal approval of tribal casinos. The move revived their Kings Mountain ambitions.
2017 — State lawmakers introduced legislation backing the project. It passed—but drew fire from other tribal governments, especially the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who feared economic cannibalization.
2018 — The breakthrough came. The Interior Department approved the land-into-trust application, a decision seen as a green light for full-scale casino development in Kings Mountain.
2020s: Betting Big, Digitally and Physically
Momentum finally became tangible.
2021 — The Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort opened a temporary gaming facility. It wasn’t glamorous—a modular structure with slot machines—but it was real, and profitable. Plans for a permanent $273 million resort moved forward.
2023 — Another game changer: North Carolina legalized online sports betting. This legislative win reflected a broader national trend and illustrated a shift in how the state viewed gambling—not as a vice, but as a fiscal opportunity.
2024 — Construction of the permanent Two Kings Casino Resort officially began. The state, now in deeper, began to weigh long-term regulation frameworks for online and retail gambling. Operators like DraftKings and FanDuel were already lining up.
Economic Impact vs. Social Cost
Let’s talk numbers—and risks.
The Harrah’s Cherokee Casino (and its sister site, Cherokee Valley River) has generated hundreds of millions in revenue. Jobs? Over 4,000 direct hires. Tax income? Tens of millions annually, which helps fund infrastructure, schools, and tribal services.
And yet, for all the upside, criticism persists. Gambling addiction rates have crept up. Critics argue that North Carolina, especially its rural communities, lacks the support systems to deal with the darker consequences of expanded gambling access.
Still, supporters maintain that with responsible regulation and support programs, casinos can be a net positive.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, expect battles on two fronts:
-
Commercial Casino Legalization — Up to now, all casino activity in North Carolina has been tribal. However, legislative interest in allowing non-tribal, commercial casinos is growing. This would mark a major shift in the competitive landscape.
-
Online Casino Gaming — With sports betting already legal, the next frontier is likely iGaming—online poker, blackjack, and slots. It’s a multibillion-dollar market. Whether North Carolina decides to enter could determine its long-term position in the national gaming economy.
Also on the table: the creation of a state gambling commission—something that has yet to fully materialize.
