Lawmakers considering raising taxes on sports betting operators

People familiar with state budget negotiations told WRAL that lawmakers have discussed increasing the tax rate paid by sports betting operators to generate more money for the state.
Posted 5/15/2026, 8:56:33 PM Updated 5/16/2026, 12:29:04 AM

WRAL NEWS AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE

TV SPECTRUM AND THE WRAL APP ON

YOUR TV OR STREAMING DEVICE.

THERE'S A NEW IDEA ON THE TABLE

TO ADDRESS RISING COSTS IN

NORTH CAROLINA, RNC CAPITAL

TEAM REPORTS LAWMAKERS ARE

CONSIDERING RAISING TAXES ON

SPORTS BETTING WHO SAY

GOVERNMENT REPORTER CAROLINE

YA, FOLKS, PLANES, WHAT IT

COULD MEAN FOR SPORTS BETTERS.

>> WE'RE DAYS AWAY FROM THE

CAROLINA HURRICANES FACING OFF

IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE

FINALS. THE LENOVO CENTER WILL

BE PACKED AND FANS WILL HAVE

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BET ON

WHO MIGHT WIN IN PURSUIT OF THE

STANLEY CUP. SPORTS BETTING IS

BOOMING HERE IN RALEIGH AND

LAWMAKERS ARE WONDERING IF THEY

CAN GET MORE FROM ITS SUCCESS.

PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH BUDGET

NEGOTIATIONS SAY LAWMAKERS ARE

WEIGHING PROPOSALS TO INCREASE

TAXES ON SPORTS BETTING

OPERATORS. OPPONENTS SAY IT

COULD LEAD TO MORE EXPENSIVE

BATS AND WORSE ODDS FANS ARE

DIVIDED ON WHETHER BETTING

SHOULD BE LEGAL AT ALL. IF YOU

SAY LIKE SOCIETY TOGETHER IN A

WAY, IT'S LIKE A WAY THAT THE

MELBOURNE AND I RELATE TO EACH

OTHER. I MEAN, GAMBLING IN

GENERAL IS A VICE.

>> AND IT SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT

ALL COSTS TAX DOLLARS FROM

BETTING GOES TOWARDS YOUTH

SPORTS, EDUCATION, COLLEGE

ATHLETICS AND GAMBLING

ADDICTION PROGRAMS AND A TAX

INCREASE ON OPERATORS CAN HELP

FUND OTHER PROGRAMS. AND YOU

CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD WITH THAT

MONEY.

>> YOU CAN FIND A LOT OF

TREATMENT FOR THAT MENTAL

HEALTH PROBLEMS AND WE CAN LEAD

TO ACTION THAT'S ASSOCIATED

WITH THE SPORTS BETTING

WEBSITES RIGHT NOW. OPERATORS

PAY AN 18% TAX ON REVENUE SINCE

LAUNCHING IN 2024. NORTH

CAROLINA HAS COLLECTED MORE

THAN

287 MILLION DOLLARS. NOW NORTH

CAROLINA LAWMAKERS ARE

DISCUSSING WHETHER TO INCREASE

THAT RATE AS HIGH AS 30%

>> AND EVEN WEIGHING POSSIBLE

NEW TAXES TIED DIRECTLY TO

BETTS OR LOTTERY SALES. BETTING

OPERATORS OPPOSED THE IDEA

SAYING INCREASE TAXES WOULD

LIKELY BE PUSHED DOWN TO

CUSTOMERS. LEGISLATIVE LEADERS

HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO OUR

QUESTIONS. NO DECISIONS HAVE

BEEN MADE. AND NEW DETAILS HAVE

© WRAL