Artist's rendering of The Book, a sports betting area coming to the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina, in the fall of 2019. Image courtesy of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians prepares to offer sports betting

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will offer sports betting at its two gaming facilities after an authorizing bill was signed into law in North Carolina.

Development of "The Book" at the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort and at the Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino and Hotel will begin immediately. Work is expected to be complete in the fall.

“This is an exciting time,” Brooks Robinson, Regional Senior Vice President and General Manager of Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos, said in a news release on Monday, The Cherokee One Feather reported.

“We continuously work to offer new experiences and opportunities to our customers and are confident that our new sportsbook will be an added delight for our guests and sports fans,.” Robinson said.

On Friday, Gov. Roy Cooper (R) signed Senate Bill 154 into law. The measure authorizes sports betting on "Indian lands" pursuant to a Class III gaming compact.

Under the terms of the new law, the Eastern Band is the only tribe eligible to offer sports betting in North Carolina.

A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2018 opened the door for tribes and states to offer sports betting. At this point, though, only a few tribes are currently offering such wagers on their lands.

Read More on the Story
Hitting the ground running: Harrah’s Cherokee working on sportsbooks (The Cherokee One Feather July 29, 2019)
Harrah's Cherokee Casino to open sportsbook (WLOS July 29, 2019)
North Carolina signs tribal betting bill into law (SBC Global July 29, 2019)
Here’s when you can place a legal sports bet in North Carolina (The Raleigh News & Observer July 29, 2019)
Gov. Cooper signs law allowing sports gambling at NC tribal casinos (The Raleigh News & Observer July 26, 2019)
Casino traffic in Cherokee booming, but some say it distracts from tribe’s legacy (The Raleigh News & Observer July 26, 2019)

A New Era: Sports Betting
Indianz.Com on SoundCloud: Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association- U.S. Supreme Court - December 4, 2017

U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Murphy v. NCAA
Syllabus | Opinion | Concurrence [Thomas] | Concurrence / Dissent [Breyer] | Dissent [Ginsburg]

Supreme Court Documents
Oral Argument Transcript: Christie v. NCAA / New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc. v. NCAA (December 4, 2017)

Join the Conversation

Related Stories
'Meanspirited': Eastern Cherokee chief responds to attack on his people (June 20, 2019)
Republican U.S. Senator blasts Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for 'bullying' (June 19, 2019)
Eastern Cherokee casino wins approval of $5.75 million naming rights deal (May 29, 2019)
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians support sports betting bill (March 27, 2019)
Pueblo of Pojoaque becomes second in New Mexico with sports betting operation (March 18, 2019)
Cronkite News: Sports betting bill advances over tribal opposition (February 27, 2019)
Bill authorizes sports betting at tribal casinos in Washington (February 18, 2019)
Cronkite News: Debate on sports betting bill delayed in Arizona (February 11, 2019)
Tribes weigh in on efforts to legalize sports betting in South Dakota (February 7, 2019)
Tribes move slowly when it comes to sports betting industry (January 29, 2019)
Bill in Arizona restricts sports betting to tribal gaming facilities (January 24, 2019)
Tribes prepare for state of Arizona to demand more gaming revenues (January 17, 2019)
Pueblo of Santa Ana jumps into sports betting industry (October 10, 2018)
'It's the wave of the future': Sports betting in Indian Country (September 26, 2018)
Chickasaw Nation lands first-ever casino partnership with NFL team (September 7, 2018)
Mississippi Choctaws become first in Indian Country with sports betting (September 3, 2018)
Winnebago tribal corporation makes another go at gaming (August 16, 2018)
'On the road to recovery': Sports betting raises concerns about addiction (July 13, 2018)
Seminole Tribe looks to offer sports betting at new Hard Rock facility (July 12, 2018)
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians announces sports betting at casinos (June 13, 2018)
Delaware becomes first state with sports betting after Supreme Court ruling (June 6, 2018)
Cronkite News: Media prepares for a new era with sports betting (May 30, 2018)
Stateline: Problem gambling a concern as sports betting fever spreads (May 29, 2018)
Online gaming also on the table as Connecticut negotiates with tribes (May 24, 2018)
Connecticut governor seeks to negotiate sports betting with tribes (May 22, 2018)
Tribes seek a seat at table as states look into sports betting (May 21, 2018)
Tribes continue to weigh impact of Supreme Court ruling on sports betting (May 18, 2018)
Oneida Nation already lining up sports betting after Supreme Court ruling (May 15, 2018)
Supreme Court opens the door for sports betting for states and for tribes (May 14, 2018)
Cronkite News: Supreme Court decision could open doors to legalized sports betting (May 2, 2018)
Supreme Court takes up sports betting case whose outcome could impact tribes (December 4, 2017)
Gaming group promotes tribal interests in Supreme Court sports betting case (September 5, 2017)
Indian Country warms up to legislation to repeal federal ban on sports betting (August 21, 2017)
National Indian Gaming Association clarifies position on sports betting coalition (August 8, 2017)
National Indian Gaming Association backs effort to legalize sports betting (August 1, 2017)