North Carolina’s latest budget bill went into effect July 1, but the new tax on prediction markets won’t go into force until Jan. 1, 2027 — and the first payments won’t be due from operators until Jan. 31, 2028.
In addition, unlike traditional sportsbooks, prediction markets will only pay taxes for trades made from accounts registered with a North Carolina address. Traditional sportsbooks pay taxes on any bet made in the state, whether by a resident or visitor.
The 6% prediction tax — the first of its kind in the U.S. — made its way into the 630-plus page budget bill (Section 44.9) on the final days of the legislative session in early July.
