Influential businessman and a prominent Republican donor Bob Luddy on Tuesday published an open letter to North Carolina state senators. The message boils down to one point: lawmakers must reject any attempts to expand the gambling industry—above all, block the opening of new casinos and refuse campaign contributions from the gambling industry.
Why Luddy’s voice carries weight
Bob Luddy has long been considered one of the key players in political giving in the state. He founded CaptiveAire Systems, a leading North American manufacturer of ventilation systems for commercial kitchens. The company has more than 2,000 employees and 120 sales offices nationwide. In addition to his industrial business, Luddy created several independent schools in the Triangle (the Research Triangle region), which cemented his reputation as a supporter of education reform and school choice.
Three tribal casinos and mobile sports betting
North Carolina already has three casinos operated by Native American tribes. It is this status quo that has become the starting point for disputes over further expansion. At the same time, state residents can place sports bets via mobile devices, and North Carolina is among the least restrictive U.S. jurisdictions in terms of regulating sports betting.
Against this backdrop, a number of lawmakers are pushing the idea of increasing the number of casinos in the state, which prompted Luddy’s appeal.
“Casinos corrupt everything around them”
“Casinos corrupt everything they touch and create long-term costs to law enforcement, Medicaid, and families,” Luddy said. In the letter, he separately urged lawmakers to reject gambling-lobby money and “stand with voters who do not want gambling in North Carolina.”
Luddy links the state’s economic success to a very different model:
- Low taxes.
- School choice programs (school choice).
- A “business-friendly” environment that supports expansion and job creation.
In his view, the mass expansion of casinos would work against this growth model and undermine the region’s appeal to investors.
Four casinos that were never approved
Previously, lawmakers considered a bill that would have allowed up to four new casinos in Anson County, Nash County, and Rockingham County, as well as on Lumbee tribal land. That version of the bill did not pass, however, according to expectations of experts and participants in the process, the initiative could return in one of the next legislative sessions.
Full-scale online casinos also remain banned in North Carolina. Supporters of their legalization note that state residents are playing on online platforms anyway—for this they use offshore sites. In addition, real-money gambling apps are available for them to download. We verified this firsthand when we tried to download several popular iGaming apps. Including lightning storm apk from the website of an online casino with an international license. There are no barriers for North Carolina residents. This is exactly what senators who support legalizing online casinos point to. If people are already playing in the state, wouldn’t it be better to collect taxes from online casinos?
The casino issue as a factor in intraparty infighting
The casino story has already left its mark on the state’s Republican politics. Luddy publicly opposed the re-election of Senate Majority Leader Phil Berger, who supported casinos in his district. In last month’s primary, Berger lost to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.
Bob Luddy and his wife Maria in January 2026 each donated $6,400 (the maximum allowed) to Page’s campaign. For Berger’s longtime ally, who valued him for advancing school vouchers and education reforms, such donations became a notable pivot and a public signal that his priorities had shifted.
28% of teens are already gambling for money
ABC11 WTVD’s I-Team this week released data on the rise in teen gambling both in North Carolina and nationwide. Jim Steyer, head of the organization Common Sense Media, noted that in recent years there has been a significant surge in online gambling among young people, especially among boys.
State health officials confirm the scale of the problem. Kelly Crosby, assistant secretary for mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance use services at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, cited specific figures: nearly 28% of young people in the state admit they have gambled for money. “That’s huge,” Crosby emphasized.
Luddy’s letter is addressed to the current Senate, and the debate over a possible expansion of casinos will likely return to the agenda in future legislative sessions.