Michigan Sports Betting

After several unsuccessful attempts to legalize sports wagering since 2015, the state of Michigan finally legalized the activity in December 2019. The state also approved online casino gambling, creating one of the most diverse gambling offerings in the US. So what does Michigan’s sports betting market look like? Let’s find out.

Is it legal to bet on sports in Michigan?

Yes, sports wagering is legal and live in the state of Michigan. On 20 December 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 916 into law, creating the Lawful Sports Betting Act. Under this law, commercial and tribal casinos can offer land-based and online sports betting in Michigan. Governor Whitmer also signed HB 4308 into law, legalizing fantasy sports contests in the state of Michigan.

Under the law, online and mobile sportsbooks must be “tethered” to commercial venues with casinos licences located in the state. The same applies to the 23 tribal casinos located on the state. This means that online operators must secure entry into Michigan’s sports betting market through a partnership with one of the state’s venues.

Whitmer signed HB 4311 into law, creating the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. Under this law, mobile and online casino gambling is now legal in the state of Michigan.

Michigan’s sports wagering market went live on 11 March 2020 with the opening of land-based sportsbooks at Penn National Gaming’s Greektown Casino and the MGM Grand Detroit. On 12 March, MotorCity Casino opened its FanDuel-branded sportsbook.

Online sports wagering and casino gambling have yet to go live in the state. At the time of writing, the Michigan Gaming Control Board is in the process of crafting regulations for both verticals and is hoping to launch online operations in early 2021.

Prior to the legalization of sports wagering, residents were limited to betting on horseracing and greyhound racing events at physical locations in the state. In May 2020, the (MGCB) authorised online horseracing betting.

Where can I bet on sports in Michigan?

With the passage of HB 916, Michigan’s commercial and tribal casinos can offer legal and regulated sports betting, both in-person and online. At the time of writing, Michigan’s three commercial casinos have launched sports betting operations and are accepting wagers.

Several operators have secured entry into the market by partnering with tribal venues operated by federally recognized tribal groups. Here are some of the sports betting brands you can expect to see in Michigan further down the line:

PointsBet –

PointsBet partnered with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, securing the operator’s entry into the market. Under the agreement, PointsBet will “provide online and mobile sports wagering and gaming to be rolled out statewide” in partnership with the tribal group. The Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians own and operate the Northern Waters Casino Resort.

Fox Bet –

In May 2019, The Stars Group announced a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority to offer online sports betting in the state. The Canadian-based operator is likely to offer the Fox Bet sports betting brand once online betting goes live in the state.

William Hill –

William Hill secured entry into Michigan via a partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Under the agreement, the main William Hill sportsbook will be located at Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel in Williamsburg, and a secondary satellite location is set to launch at the Leelanau Sands in Suttons Bay.

What sports can I bet on?

Residents and visitors can bet on a variety of sports including football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, NASCAR, boxing and UFC. Residents can bet on major leagues such as the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL, as well as collegiate leagues such as the NCAA football and basketball contests.

What else can I bet on in Michigan?

Michigan’s residents and visitors can enjoy a variety of gambling activities including a state lottery, horse racing and a variety of casino games which include slot games and your standard assortment of casino games which includes:

• Blackjack
• Poker
• Craps
• Three card poker
• Roulette
• Texas hold’em

The Wolverine State is home to a variety of gambling establishments. The tribal gaming market is a dominant force in the state with over 20 tribal-owned casinos. The Motor City, Detroit, is home to the state’s three commercial casinos and there are four pari-mutuel horse racing tracks spread across the state.

On top of the casinos that operate in the state, residents and visitors can partake in four types of legal online gambling. These four types of online gambling include:

• online lottery games
• horse and greyhound racing
• games of skill like backgammon
• betting on fantasy sports games.

The state lawmakers have taken steps in recent years to expand the online gambling offerings with online casinos, poker and sports betting currently considering legislation to permit these activities.

Are offshore gambling sites legal in Michigan?

According to Michigan law, it is illegal to place bets with unlicensed online sportsbooks and offshore gambling sites, and gamblers could face prosecution for gambling with these operators. This also applies to US gambling sites from other states.

Aside from legality, we’d recommend steering clear of offshore gambling and sports betting sites because of the lack of regulation. This means they may not be secure or may not have measures in place to protect vulnerable players. You also have no way of finding out who is handling the money you deposit into an online account. If Michigan does choose to regulate sports betting, then there is a strong chance there will be some legal online Michigan sports betting sites available further down the line.

You can spot offshore gambling sites by looking at the website’s domain name. If you see a domain that ends in .EU or .AG it does not hold a license to operate in Michigan and therefore should be avoided at all costs.

Is it safe to bet on sports in Michigan?

Michigan already has very strict regulatory standards for gambling operations and sports betting is no different. The state regulator is currently drafting online sports betting regulations to ensure players are safe and secure. However, taking steps to ensure you gamble responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose is a vital part is keeping gambling fun. The Michigan Association on Problem Gambling and the National Problem Gambling Helpline offer support and resources if you believe that you, or a loved one, may be suffering with problem gambling.

You can contact the Michigan Association on Problem Gambling via:

Phone: 517-672-6904

The Michigan Association on Problem Gambling is located at: 1128 Wethersfield Dr. S., Portage, Michigan, 49002

You can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline via:

Phone: 1-800-522-4700

Text: 1-800-522-4700

Online chat

Who regulates gambling in Michigan?

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is responsible for overseeing gambling operations in relation to the state’s commercial casinos, as well as some aspects of Michang’s tribal casinos, as laid out by terms in tribal-state gaming compacts.

How old do I have to be to gamble in Michigan?

You must be 18 play Michigan state lottery and place bets on horse racing. If you wish to play casino games, you must be at least 21 years of age.

The journey to legal and regulated sports betting in Michigan

Whilst sports betting in Michigan is yet to be legalized, state lawmakers are still considering legislation, we will continue to update this page as the situation develops.

1933 – The first opportunities for legal gambling in Michigan surfaced with the approval of the 1933 Racing Act. This act authorized and regulated pari-mutuel horse racing in Michigan. Since then the act has been repealed and horse racing now falls under the Horse Racing Law of 1995.

1972 – On 16 May, voters in Michigan approved a constitutional amendment which lead to the establishment of the state lottery. On 1 August Governor William Milliken signed Public Act 239 into law and appointed Gus Harrison as the state’s first Lottery Commissioner.

Act 382 was also passed thar year, allowing nonprofit organizations to raise funds through licensed bingo games, raffles and the sale of charity game tickets. It also allowed for the licensing of bingo halls and suppliers

1992 – Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) prohibiting sports betting across US states. Four states were made exempt from the law: Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. These states had legal sports betting regulations in place.

1993 – The first tribal casino in Michigan opened for business in the Mt. Pleasant area and was operated by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The tribe entered into a compact with the state the same year.

1996 – The Lottery Commissioner at the time Bill Martin, introduced “The Big Game” a new lottery game in which Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia all participated. Thanks to the success of the game four more states joined the game in 2002.

In November, voters in Michigan approved Proposal E, which authorized the construction of three licensed casinos in the Detroit area. The proposal was reviewed and improvements made before being the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act. Greek Town, MGM and Motor City were the three commercial casinos established under this act.

1998 – A number of tribes entered into compacts with the state this year, and tribes were required to pay 10% of their net wins on electronic games of chance. 8% of this would go to the state, and 2% to local municipalities.

2003 – The state lottery began to expand its games and started offering Club Keno and pull-tab games which could be purchased at licensed restaurants and bars.

2007 – On 30 September, the state lottery finished the financial year with a contribution of $748.9m to the School Aid Fund.

2017 – Multiple pieces of legislation were introduced in an attempt to begin the move towards legalizing online casino gambling in Michigan. Towards the end of the year, during the Supreme Court case, provisions for sports betting were starting to appear in some pieces of legislation.

2018 – On 14 May, the Court reached a decision. In a 7 – 2 vote it was agreed that one of the clauses in PASPA violated the Tenth Amendment, as it commandeered power from states to regulate their own gambling industries. This paved the way for all US states to decide whether or not to legalize sports betting. In the weeks after the repeal of PASPA a number of US sportsbooks launched across the country.

2019 – At the end of December, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 4311 into law, creating the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. Under this law, mobile and online casino gambling is now legal in the state of Michigan. Under the law, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) will be granted the power to issue licenses for online and mobile casino gambling.

The state’s governor also approved HB 916, creating the Lawful Sports Betting Act. Under this law, commercial and tribal casinos can offer land-based and online sports betting in Michigan. Governor Whitmer also signed HB 4308 into law, legalizing fantasy sports contests in the state of Michigan.

2020 – On 11 March, land-based betting went live at Michigan’s commercial casinos.

For more updates on sports betting in Michigan be sure to check back with Compare.bet.