The Catawba Nation has opened the first phase of its $1 billion Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain, replacing the temporary facility that served players since 2021 and bringing a permanent casino destination to the Charlotte area for the first time.
What to Expect at the New Catawba Two Kings Casino
The first phase features 1,350 slot machines, 36 electronic table games, and 22 traditional table games, along with a 68-seat restaurant and 18-seat bar. The floor also includes sports betting kiosks and a player rewards desk, giving guests a well-rounded experience from the moment they walk in.
Timeline: When Will the Full Resort Open?
The introductory casino is just the beginning. Construction is actively underway on the full Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort, with a spring 2027 target for completion. When the doors open on the permanent resort, it's expected to be one of the most ambitious casino developments in the Southeast, roughly 2 million square feet in total.
The full resort will include:
- A 24-story, 385-room hotel
- 4,300 slot machines and 100 table games — more than triple the current capacity
- 11 dining outlets, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, a six-venue marketplace, café, and grab-and-go
- 11 bars, including a center bar and a dedicated sports bar
- A players lounge
- 3,500 parking spaces (a 2,700-space garage beneath the complex plus 800 surface spots)
The sports bar addition, in particular, is likely to become a hub for NC sports betting fans who want to watch and wager simultaneously, a format that has become the gold standard for casino sportsbook experiences across the country.
What This Means for North Carolina Gambling
For years, North Carolina casino options were largely limited to the Harrah's Cherokee properties in the western mountains. Two Kings changes that for the Charlotte metro area, adding a full-scale resort casino operated under federal tribal gaming law, the same framework that allows on-site sports betting alongside slots and table games.
The economic impact is significant too. The Catawba Nation has already hired around 600 employees, with plans to reach more than 2,000 jobs when the full resort opens, with additional revenue flowing to local charities and state and local governments
Could NC Gambling Expand With More Casinos?
Two Kings isn't the only development worth watching in the North Carolina gambling scene. The Lumbee Tribe, which earned federal recognition in December 2025, is now moving toward a tribal vote on whether to allow gaming on their lands. In April 2026, the tribal council approved placing a constitutional amendment before voters that would authorize gaming compacts and regulate gambling activities. The tribe has already purchased 241 acres off Interstate 95 in southern NC, which could serve as a future casino and resort site.
On the NC sports betting front, the landscape is also shifting. Since mobile wagering launched in March 2024, bettors in the state have wagered more than $15.3 billion across North Carolina betting apps, with operators paying over $287 million in taxes to the state. But that success has caught legislators' attention , state lawmakers are currently in discussions about raising the operator tax rate from 18%, with some proposals floating figures as high as 36%. No formal bill has passed, but the Sports Betting Alliance has already launched a campaign urging residents to push back, warning that higher taxes could result in worse odds and fewer promotions for bettors.
