Catawba Two Kings Casino NOT Planning Thoroughbred Racetrack
Posted on: February 4, 2026, 12:24h.
Last updated on: February 12, 2026, 05:31h.
UPDATE: Reports out of Charlotte, scooped from Catawba Nation social media account comments, suggested that the tribe would build a thoroughbred racetrack in the coming years, adjacent to their Two Kings Casino Resort. The Catawba Nation has since clarified that it has no intention of investing in a horse racetrack of any kind. Casino.org apologizes for the reporting error.
The Catawba Nation’s permanent Two Kings Casino Resort hasn’t yet opened, but comments on social media suggested that the tribe was already looking to the future.
The first phase of the permanent Two Kings Casino Resort, described as an “introductory” casino, includes an 80K-square-foot facility with 1,350 slot machines, 22 live dealer table games, and sports betting kiosks. A restaurant and bar, a rewards desk, and 800 surface parking lots are included. The initial casino will replace modular trailers that have housed the temporary Two Kings Casino, which has operated since July 2021.
Before 2028, the federally recognized tribe plans to complete the entirety of the resort destination in North Carolina’s Kings Mountain. The property is located about 35 miles west of Charlotte off Interstate 85 at Exit 5.
The completed resort will feature a sprawling casino with 4,300 slots, 100 tables, a sportsbook, and a 24-story, 385-key hotel. Eleven restaurants and bars and an underground parking garage with 2,700 spaces are also planned.
A recent discussion on the tribe’s social media by commentators suggested that a $120 million thoroughbred horse racetrack was also being considered. Those rumblings turned out to be inaccurate.
North Carolina Horse Racing
North Carolina legalized parimutuel wagering through the state’s sports betting bill in 2023. However, while sports betting debuted the following year, parimutuel wagering on both live and simulcast horse racing has remained on hold.
The original parimutuel betting law didn’t entice any advanced deposit wagering (ADW) firms to bite on the $1 million licensing fee and 1% tax on all wagers. The bill additionally disqualified slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) machines as a permitted form of parimutuel betting.
There is optimism among the North Carolina General Assembly that a revised measure will make the parimutuel wagering market more attractive to operators.
In the meantime, the Catawba Nation could use its federal gaming privileges to initiate parimutuel wagering. The National Indian Gaming Commission has ruled that parimutuel wagering is a form of Class III gaming, the same classification as Las Vegas-like slot machines and live dealer table games. The Catawba’s Class III gaming compact with the State of North Carolina allows it to operate slots, tables, and sports betting on its sovereign land.
Parimutuel wagering remains prohibited in Georgia and South Carolina. And at this time, it appears the Catawbas, nor the other Class III gaming tribe in North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, have any plans of venturing into horse racing.
Last Comments ( 8 )
Or was the correction concerning the horse racing track ?
So where is the correction on the poker room ?
They will never have a true sports book without a horse racing venue. Too bad!
We will see. They're only saying they aren't building a racetrack. Under federal tribal gaming law, they could include a racebook. Class III gaming means all forms of gaming that are not class I gaming or class II gaming, including but not limited to: (a) Any house banking game, including but not limited to— (1) Card games such as baccarat, chemin de fer, blackjack (21), and pai gow (if played as house banking games); (2) Casino games such as roulette, craps, and keno; (b) Any slot machines as defined in 15 U.S.C. 1171(a)(1) and electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance; (c) Any sports betting and parimutuel wagering including but not limited to wagering on horse racing, dog racing or jai alai; or (d) Lotteries.
No poker room? :(
Sorry Grull, no poker room has been announced.
This is not true
Thank you, Victoria, for the heads up. I've since updated the article to reflect the reporting error. -Devin