On the final day of 2024, a panel of judges from the North Carolina Court of Appeals gave a split-decision victory to law enforcement agents in Robeson County who are upholding bans on unlicensed electronic gaming machines. Pending a possible appeal, the ruling strengthens precedent that such “skill games” are outside of the scope of regulated gambling in the state.
A small and unregulated presence of the games in North Carolina could limit their potential impact on North Carolina legalizing online casino play in the future. While such regulation is not imminent in the state, some components are in place.
The case in question is No Limit Games v. Sheriff of Robeson Co., et al, with the pursuant being a company that has operated electronic gaming machines in multiple privately owned businesses within the county’s borders.
