1. Can I Gamble Online In Michigan State
2. Gamble Games Online
3. Can I Gamble Online In Michigan
4. Gamble Online Legally
5. Gamble Online Where
6. Can You Sports Gamble Online In Michigan
7. Where Can I Gamble

How Michigan online poker works

Michigan defines, “ Illegal Gambling,” as any form of gambling not specifically regulated by the state or tribes. This would apply to online gambling theoretically and any wins over $50 could theoretically be met with a year in prison and fines up to $1,000. For Michigan players wanting to gamble online from home can use this site. All forms of online gambling for Michigan residents & where to gamble are covered. Michigan Gambling Sites. Though gambling and Michigan are two things that are not heavily associated, there is a very active number of Michigan Gambling Sites out there.

1. Is Michigan planning to regulate online gambling in the future? Michigan lawmakers simply can’t agree on this issue, so it’s impossible to say what the future will bring. However, we wouldn’t expect anything significant to happen this year. Gambling History – Interesting Facts. Regulated horse racing was introduced to Michigan in 1933.
2. The short answer is yes! Michigan horse race betting online has been legal for a number of years now. In addition, it’s also possible to legally bet on greyhound racing and Fantasy Sports competitions in the state of Michigan, as well as the famous Michigan Lottery. General sports and casino betting online are still currently prohibited in.

Online poker is live, and you can play for real money legally within the state. But it’s important to understand how things work. If you’ve never dealt with online poker before, you could understandably be brimming with questions about the rules and procedures you need to follow.

Who can play?

First of all, Michigan requires anyone who plays online poker in the state to be 21 or older. This requirement should come as no surprise.

When you play online poker in the Great Lakes State, however, you will not be able to play with anyone who is not physically inside state lines. As is the case with most other states, the Michigan online poker scene is confined to Michigan.

The good news is that it is not necessary to be a resident of Michigan to play. If you are a visitor, you have the same opportunity to experience online poker, so long as you are of legal age.

Now, you may have heard that some states do have interstate poker options. That’s true — New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware are all signatories of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, or MSIGA, which allows sites to combine player pools across state lines. In practice, however, the only beneficiary of the agreement has been WSOP.com, which offers play in both New Jersey and Nevada.

For the time being, Michigan is not a part of the MSIGA. This means you will have to be inside Michigan to play, and you will only be playing other Michiganders or visitors to the state.

How does an online poker site know I’m in Michigan?

All Michigan online poker sites, casinos, and sportsbooks must verify the physical location of their players at all times. They accomplish this by using geolocation software.

This software uses your mobile device’s onboard GPS to pinpoint your location before you are allowed on-site. If you use a laptop or desktop computer, you will have to verify your location by downloading this software separately or at the behest of the site.

The sites are not inclined to waver on this requirement, either. They face heavy fines and sanctions, including the loss of their licenses to operate, if they are not vigilant about enforcing the in-state requirement.

The bottom line is that you will have to verify your location as within Michigan before you’ll be able to make your first bet, raise, call, or fold.

How to get download the app or poker client

The first thing to do is to use one of the links above to access the site of your choice. You will need to download the app to your mobile device or the poker client to your desktop computer.

Using our links will often put you in line for welcome bonuses at each site. However, make sure that you note any poker bonus codes we have listed, as they can be worth extra cash and benefits in your account.

Apple device users should have no difficulty downloading and installing the app. However, Android users will need to instruct their devices to accept downloads from unknown sources in the device’s security settings. Then, the link should take you to a page with a prompt for the site’s .apk file.

Once you’ve installed the app or client, look for a sign-up button at the top of the screen. It’s usually in the right corner with a label like “sign up” or “join now.” Pressing the button will take you to the site’s form for new accounts.

As with online casinos in Michigan, be ready to fill out your personal information in order to create your account. You will need the following:

• Your name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Social Security number

These are all common requirements at online gambling sites in Michigan. You will also need to choose an appropriate screen name, password, and (potentially) security challenge questions.

If you happened to copy down a bonus code, look for the box to enter it on this screen, too. It is usually the only optional box on the page. Make sure that you enter the code exactly as it appears, with any capital letters and no typos.

After that, hit the button at the bottom to submit, and you should be ready to go.

Michigan poker sites and partnerships

PokerStars + Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians

Global online poker giant The Stars Group secured a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority in early January 2020.

The deal gives The Stars Group first-skin market access for all gambling verticals in Michigan, including poker.

The Stars Group owns and operates PokerStars MI, which operates in NJ and PA. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians operates three Michigan tribal casinos, with the largest being the Odawa Casino, near Petoskey.

BetMGM Poker + MGM Grand Detroit

For a long time, it was understood that MGM Resorts International and partypoker’s parent company GVC Holdings would join the online poker Michigan market. The two companies established a 50/50 joint venture sports betting and online gaming platform for the US in July 2018.

However, BetMGM Poker will be the brand available in Michigan in 2021.

The launch of partypoker Michigan through MGM Grand is no longer a go, but there are other ways for partypoker to enter the Michigan online gambling market.

Will I be able to play online poker with players in NJ and PA?

Michigan’s governor recently signed the interstate online poker bill into law, but the law doesn’t automatically set up a pact between other states. That is now up to the MGCB. It is unclear whether such a deal will be made in 2021.

One option is for Michigan to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Association. The MSIGA allows New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware to share player pools.

Still, multi-state poker could be on its way to Michigan. It’s likely a must-have for the online poker market in the Great Lakes State to survive long-term. Michigan is slightly larger than New Jersey, where online poker is barely surviving despite pooling players with Nevada and Delaware.

Adding states, including Pennsylvania and Michigan, to the MSIGA over the next few years would certainly be a boost to the US online poker market.

Are Michigan online poker sites safe?

Yes. It is safe and legal to play on Michigan’s online poker sites. Any of the sites that you see mentioned above are fully licensed and regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Rest assured that this page will never advertise poker sites that are anything less than legal.

If you are ever unsure about whether you’re playing on a registered site, you can always scroll down to the bottom of the site’s homepage. There will always be information stating that it is a regulated site by the MGCB. In some cases, the site will publish its license number.

You can also verify that an online poker site is legal in Michigan by going to the MGCB site itself. You can either find mention of the site in question or contact one of the board’s offices.

If you come across a site that we don’t mention, it is most likely an offshore poker site. These sites are not under the regulations and laws of the state of Michigan or the United States. Invariably, these sites do not work with the MGCB, nor do they operate with a Michigan land-based partner or have offices in the US.

Playing on one of these sites puts you and your financial security at a much higher risk. International sites often exist in the gray areas of the law and in countries with far less stringent standards for business.

You also cannot count on these sites to report to a regulatory body that is effective. In many cases, the regulator has no actual authority to take action on the site if there’s an issue on site, including payouts. Worse, it’s even possible that it is part of the same organization.

The bottom line is that there’s no reason to take any kind of chances now that legal online poker is legitimately underway in Michigan. Stick to the legal and safe Michigan sites.

How to move money on and off legal poker sites

In order to play for real money on a Michigan site, you’re going to have to invest your own real money into it. Even more obviously, you’re going to want to be able to withdraw any winnings if your big hand comes in. Thankfully, every Michigan poker site comes with multiple ways to deposit and cash out quickly.

Since online poker is in the early stages in Michigan, we only have confirmations about a few types of transactions you can make. If you want to make a deposit at a Michigan poker site, these options are available for certain:

• Credit or debit card — Visa and Mastercard are acceptable options. However, make sure to check with your issuing bank before you make this type of request. Some of them do not allow deposits to online poker sites, and, even if they do, they may charge hefty cash advance fees.
• Electronic checks — VIP Preferred is the option, although ACH is likely to come soon. These function exactly like paper checks, except without the paper. Most Michigan poker sites will accept echecks.
• Electronic wallets — Skrill and PayPal are accepted by Michigan online poker rooms.
• Online banking — If you use online bill pay for other transactions, you may be able to use it to send money directly from your bank account to the poker site, too.
• Prepaid cards — Play+ and Paysafecard are the most common options for a prepaid card, which is essentially a gift card that you give yourself.

Other methods that we expect to be available soon include wire transfers from your bank and cash options like PayNearMe. Finally, the land-based partner for the poker site is likely to begin accepting deposits in person at its cage at some point in the future.

Online poker bonuses and rewards

Like most MI online gambling outlets, the best poker sites have to keep their customers happy. So every poker brand will have bonuses and rewards that you can use to pad your account balance.

Most online poker site bonuses come in two formats — playing money and tournament tickets. Although there are numerous ins and outs to the different types of bonuses you’ll find, the end result of each one will usually be one or both of those types of rewards.

For the most part, here are the types of bonuses you will encounter:

1. No deposit bonus: These bonuses are essentially free money that shows up in your account. You will most often see no deposit poker bonuses when you sign up for an account — they are otherwise rare. Although they may be withdrawable as cash, no deposit bonuses often come in the form of site credits and will require you to play through the bonus a certain number of times.
2. Deposit bonus: With this type of bonus, the poker site will match a portion of your deposit and contribute additional funds to your account on top of the deposit amount. The percentage of the match can be any amount, even 100%. However, there will also be a limit to the maximum amount you can have matched from the bonus. In many cases, the site will withhold the full amount of the bonus and drip it to you as you play, so be aware that you may not see an immediate benefit.
3. Loyalty or rewards programs: In many cases, you are entered as a member in the program automatically from the moment that you register. If you never pay it any mind, that’s all right. However, these programs will both classify you and reward you based upon how much you wager and how often you play. As you hit the tables, you will earn points that you can redeem for cash or prizes. The exact amounts of cash or prizes vary, but common options include free money bonuses, tournament tickets and branded merchandise from the site’s store.

The rarest reward you can receive is unrestricted cash. It is unusual, however, for sites to hand out withdrawable funds for a bonus.

In most cases, you will either receive site credits or tournament tickets. Site credits function like cash, but you cannot withdraw them until you’ve “washed” them through the system. Tournament tickets, meanwhile, require you to use them for tournament buy-ins. They are not transferable or convertible into cash.

Tournaments and cash games at real money poker sites

You have several types of online games to check out. Some of these are present in every poker room. Others are exclusive to certain online poker sites.

• Cash games: Anyone can join or leave at any time, and play is continuous. Blind levels do not change, and buy-ins to the game have a minimum amount and (usually) a maximum amount.
• Tournaments: Each player buys in for the same amount and receives an identical amount of tournament chips to play. Play begins at a designated time and proceeds until one player has all the chips. Blind levels increase at regular intervals, and roughly 10% of the field receives some sort of payout from the prize pool.
• Sit and go tournaments (SNGs): A limited tournament where the event begins when a designated number of players buy into the pool. Play proceeds like a standard tournament, but the field is limited to the number of players present at the start.
• Spin and go/jackpot SNGs: An extremely limited type of sit and go with only three players. Blind levels are set at hyper-turbo levels, meaning that they escalate quite quickly and force frequent all-ins from players. Players compete for a randomly selected prize pool that can be anywhere from 2x the buy-in amount to 1,000x the buy-in. Each tournament is winner-take-all.

In terms of the buy-in amounts that you’ll need for these tournaments, there is no one answer. Poker sites in Michigan have a range of stakes available most of the time. You can play for as little as $1 or many thousands. Most tournament options will top out at $500 to play, but some special events can have much higher price tags.

Types of poker games in Michigan

Along with all the formats of poker available in Michigan, you also have several games from which to choose. Some of them are widely known, but others are a bit more esoteric. The most prevalent game is No Limit Texas Hold’em. This game became the dominant form of poker about two decades ago and shows no sign of decline.

You can also play the limit version of Hold’em, if you like. While this format is not as popular as it used to be, there will still be options if you don’t want to deal with bet-sizing.

Other games that you might find on Michigan online poker sites are listed below. Most of these games are available in no-limit, pot-limit, or limit structures.

1. Omaha*— A four-card community card game that features bigger pots and more volatility than hold’em. Players must use exactly two cards from their hands and three from the board, but exactly which two they use can change from street to street.
2. Five Card Omaha*— This game is identical to typical Omaha, but with five cards dealt to each player. Thus, the potential for big hands, big swings and big pots is even higher. It is sometimes called “Big Mitt.”
3. Courchevel Poker*— Courchevel is identical to Five Card Omaha, except the first card of the community board is dealt face-up prior to the pre-flop betting round. In other words, you get a sneak peek at the board along with your five cards.
4. Seven card stud* — A venerable poker game that used to be the dominant form, this game has all players receiving up to seven cards of their own and making the best five-card hand that they can. The first round of dealing puts two cards face-down and one up. The next three cards are also dealt face-up, available for anyone to see, and a round of betting occurs with each card dealt. The final card is then dealt face-down, and a last betting round takes the hand into showdown.
5. Razz — A stud game in which players attempt to make the lowest hand they can. A hand with ace through five is the best possible hand (the “wheel”), and flushes and straights are irrelevant for hand rankings. However, pairs and three of a kind are counted negatively against the player. This game is also known as California Lowball, and may sometimes be referred to as simply “lowball.”
6. Five card draw — This is likely the most familiar poker game to casual players. All players receive five cards and make the best hand that they can. There are two rounds of betting, and, between rounds, players can discard as many of their original cards as they like and draw new ones. This game is most often encountered in video poker now, but is still available in limited selections through Michigan online poker rooms.
7. Badugi — Badugi is an Asian variant that combines elements of Razz and five card draw, but also has its own unique spin. Each player receives four cards and is attempting to make the lowest possible hand. However, unlike Razz, cards of the same suit count against the player, so the object is to make the lowest hand and have four cards of different suits. A qualifying four-card hand is called a Badugi. Any hands with suited cards ignore all but the lowest card of the suit but also are of lower ranking than Badugis. So, the winner of each game is first determined by how many of a player’s cards play, then by the rank of the highest-tiered hands.
8. HORSE — A rotation game in which the game changes every time the button goes around the table once. The name of the game is an acronym for the games that are played – Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Stud, Eight or Better (seven card stud hi-lo)
9. 8-Game Mix — This game is identical in structure to HORSE, but with eight games. The eight games are usually limit 2-7 triple draw, limit hold’em, limit Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, limit seven card stud, Limit seven card stud hi-lo (Eight or Better), No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha.

*Available in both high only and hi-lo variants. Low hands must have no cards above eight to qualify — thus, these variants may also be known as Eight or Better. Obviously, some of these games are off the beaten path. However, they can be a fun way to cleanse one’s palate, especially if you’ve been on a hold’em-only diet. So, if you’re feeling frisky, give one of these variants a try.

Poker and cardrooms in Michigan

Michiganders are not suffering from a shortage of live poker options nearby. Many of the state’s casinos offer their own poker rooms. In addition, Michigan also allows charitable organizations to offer poker games as standalone facilities. Here are all of the opportunities you have to play poker in Michigan in live settings.

Bay Mills Resort & Casino

Bay Mills Resort & Casino, in Brimley, features a four-table poker room that is open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

There are regular cash games and low-buy-in tournaments. Players must be at least 18 years or older.

FireKeepers Casino Hotel

The newly renovated 26-table poker room at FireKeepers Casino Hotel, in Battle Creek, is the premier poker room in the state.

The room spreads Texas Hold’em, Omaha and stud cash games at a variety of low to mid-stakes. Plus, there are low to mid-stakes buy-in tournaments every day, including a regular stop on the popular Mid-States Poker Tour.

Promotions include a progressive bad beat jackpot.

Greektown Casino Hotel

Greektown Casino Hotel, in Detroit, features a 12-table poker room offering Texas Hold ’em and Omaha games. There are regular tournaments and high-hands promotions.

Gun Lake Casino

Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, features a 14-table poker room spreading Texas Hold’em and Omaha games.

There are low-stakes tournaments happening five days a week, and promotions include a bad beat jackpot.

Kewadin Casino

Kewadin Casino, Hotel and Convention Center, in Sault Ste. Marie, features a four-table poker room open Wednesdays through Sundays.

There are low-stakes tournaments on Wednesdays and cash games every day.

MGM Grand Detroit

The poker room at MGM Grand Detroit features 17 tables with Texas Hold’em and Omaha action.

There are bounty tournaments three days a week and promotions include splash pots, bad beat jackpots, and hot-seat drawings.

MotorCity Casino Hotel

The MotorCity Casino Hotel, in Detroit, features a 17-table poker club spreading Texas Hold’em and Omaha games.

There’s a regular tournament calendar, and promotions include a bad beat jackpot, high-hands and a gas card giveaway.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

Can I Gamble Online In Michigan State

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, in Mount Pleasant, features a 14-table poker room open 24/7.

There’s a six-day per week tournament schedule and promotions include a bad beat jackpot, early bird rake, lucky ticket draws and high-hands.

The room spreads Texas Hold’em, Pineapple, Crazy Pineapple, Omaha, seven-card stud and Razz. Multi-game formats include round by rounds, dealer’s choice, HORSE, SHOE and HOP. Players may request any game type with any limit.

When discussing the next state that’ll legalize online gaming, California,
New York and Pennsylvania often come to mind.

Michigan often gets overlooked in this subject, even though they’re making
serious efforts to regulate Internet gaming. In fact, the State Senate is
currently reviewing SB 203, which would legalize online casinos and poker sites.

Will Michigan pass SB 203 and become the fourth state to offer iGaming?

This is just one question we’ll discuss as we look at Michigan’s current
Internet gambling landscape.

Online Gambling and Michigan Law

Michigan has a strange history with online gaming that begins in 1999, when
they banned online gambling.

Senate bill 562 added Section 750.145d to the Michigan Constitution, which
makes it illegal to “use the internet to violate any of Michigan’s anti-gambling
provisions.”

SB 562 was well ahead of its time, and no other state had online gaming on
their radar. This was the same year that MGM Grand Detroit opened, and we
imagine that this had something to do with the push to ban iGaming.

In any case, SB 562 was repealed the following year as libertarianism swept
through the State Legislature.

Nothing has changed since the repeal of Section 750.145d, which leaves
Michigan in a total grey area when it comes to online gaming.

Let’s cover some important topics regarding the current state of Michigan
iGaming along with when/if they will ever legalize the activity.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Michigan?

No, but it’s not illegal either.

In 2000, the majority of the State Legislature voted to repeal the
short-lived iGaming ban with Public Act 185. Nothing has happened with the
matter since then, and the Michigan Constitution has no language banning the
activity.

The absence of anti-internet gaming legislation doesn’t make it legal either,
but the politicians who repealed the ban must have thought that it infringed on
people’s rights.

Again, Michigan is still very much a grey area when it comes to online
gambling, and we don’t see this changing until regulation comes.

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in Michigan?

Given what we discussed above, it’s highly unlikely that Michigan would
arrest anybody for gambling over the Internet. What’s more is that we can’t find
one instance of an online gambler being arrested in the Great Lake State.

Nevertheless, you should know all of the facts before assuming that there’s
no chance you could be arrested.

Section 750.314 of the criminal code lays out a broad definition of what
constitutes gambling in the state:

“Any person who by playing at cards, dice, or any other game, or by betting
or putting up money on cards, or by any other means or device in the nature of
betting on cards, or betting of any kind, wins or obtains any sum of money or
any goods, or any article of value whatever …”

This crime is a misdemeanor if you win less than $50 from the gambling game,
and a high-grade misdemeanor if you win over $50.

Again, the odds of you being busted for gambling online in Michigan are
ridiculously small, but we still want you to be aware of Section 750.314 just in
case.

Are Offshore Gaming Sites Safe?

Many offshore casinos, poker rooms and sports betting sites serve Michigan
natives. The reason why is because this state has no legal language aimed at
offshore operators.

This leads many players to wonder if it’s safe for them to play at these
sites.

The first thing to understand is that offshore gaming sites aren’t licensed
anywhere in the U.S. Instead, they obtain licenses in foreign
countries/territories like Alderney, Costa Rica, Curacao, Quebec
(Kahnawake/Mohawk Territory) and Panama.

While these jurisdictions screen operators to make sure they’re legitimate
companies, there’s little-to-no oversight afterward.

This doesn’t mean that offshore operators are shady. It simply means that you
need to do your homework before signing up and depositing with one.

We’ll cover some of the points you should consider before choosing a gaming
site later.

How Close is Michigan to Legalizing Online Gambling?

In March 2017, the Michigan Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform passed SB
203 by a 7-1 margin.

Sponsored by State Sen. Mike Kowall, SB 203 would legalize both online casino
and poker games in the Wolverine State. Kowall told the
Detroit News that he sees regulated iGaming providing many benefits for the
state economy.

“The potential for jobs and economic development right here in Michigan is
being lost,” said the Republican. “This legislation gives Michigan an
opportunity to stop this illegal activity and to generate new revenue that could
help fund infrastructure improvements, health care, education, public safety and
other worthwhile programs.”

Kowall is receiving support from Amaya Gaming (a.k.a. Stars Group), which is
a major online gaming company that’s hoping to operate in Michigan. Amaya
believes that the state could earn up to $320 million from the market annually.

But SB 203 also faces stiff opposition from Native-American tribes, who argue
that the legislation makes it harder for them to get iGaming licenses than
commercial casinos.

The Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling also points out that no state with
regulated online gaming has met their revenue projections.

At the time of this writing, the State Senate is still mulling over SB 203
before a potential vote.

SB 889 also went to the Senate in 2016, but never got to a vote. It’s tough
to say whether SB 203 will fare any better.

Our guess is that the legislation won’t make it through the State Senate,
House and receive a governor’s signature one year after SB 889 was defeated. But
we wouldn’t be surprised if a similar bill is passed by 2019.

How do I Choose a Good Online Casino?

If you’re going to play at offshore casinos, poker sites and/or sportsbooks,
you want to pick the best ones possible.

And we highly suggest that you check out reviews before signing up and
depositing anywhere. You should also visit the sites themselves and look around.

Gamble Games Online

Here are some key points to consider when reading through reviews and
visiting sites:

Can I Gamble Online In Michigan

• Longevity

The longer
a gaming company has been in business, the more confidence you can have that
they’re a good site which cares about customers.

• Reputability

Has a
site had any major incidents in the past? Does their customer support brush
players off? You certainly doesn’t want to choose a casino or poker room
that can answer yes to either of these questions.

• Banking Options

The
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) prevents American
financial institutions from processing (unlicensed) online gaming
transactions. This makes it tougher for offshore sites to offer a wide
variety of deposit options. Moreover, you must choose a site with a banking
option you can use.

• Cashout Processing Speed

Some offshore gaming companies take weeks or even months to process
withdrawals. Obviously you don’t want to wait this long for your money,
which makes this a crucial factor.

• Bonus Terms & Conditions

Don’t put up with insane wagering requirements on welcome and
reload bonuses. Instead, pick a site that offers reasonable bonus wagering
requirements.

• Game Variety

It’s
always more fun to play at casinos, poker rooms and sports betting sites
with a large variety.

More Gambling Laws in Michigan

• Casino Games (Ilegal)
• Poker (Legal)
• Race Betting (Legal)
• Lottery (Legal)
• Charitable Gaming (Legal)
• Social Gambling (Illegal)

Casino Games: Illegal

The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) gives Native-American tribes and
states the ability to negotiate casino compacts. Michigan and their tribes did
so in 1993, with tribal casinos launching shortly thereafter.

In 1999, the MGM Grand Detroit became the first major casino resort in a
metropolitan area outside of Las Vegas. MotorCity Casino opened later the same
year, while Greektown Casino launched in 2000.

This makes Detroit one of the largest casino hubs in the U.S. As a whole,
Michigan has 20 casino (11 tribal / 13 commercial).

It’s safe to say that if the state ever legalizes online gaming, there will
be plenty of interested casino suitors.

Charitable Gambling: Legal

Charity gaming is legal in Michigan under certain circumstances.

One circumstance is that approved/licensed charities can only hold bingos,
raffles and “millionaire parties.” The other is that only specific groups are
allowed to participate.

According to Section 432.103(g), these groups include the following:

“A bona fide religious, educational, service, senior citizens, fraternal, or
veterans’ organization that operates without profit to its members and that
either has been in existence continuously as an organization for a period of 5
years or is exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the internal revenue
code of 1986, 26 USC 501.”

Lottery: Legal

Michigan was one of the earliest states to launch their lottery, doing so in
1972. The Bureau of the State Lottery oversees this gambling sector.

The Michigan Lottery offers 10 games, including Club Keno, Daily 3, Daily 4,
Fantasy 5 Match, Lotto 47, Lucky 4 Life, Keno, Mega Millions, Powerball and
Poker Lotto.

Poker: Legal

Live poker is permitted in every tribal casino and the three Detroit casinos.
None of Michigan’s poker rooms are particularly large, with MotorCity being the
biggest at 17 tables.

Racing: Legal

The Great Lake State legalized pari-mutuel betting in 1993.

Due to poor financial performance, Michigan’s horseracing industry was
amended in 2010, and the Office of Racing Commissioner was phased out.

Today, the Michigan Gaming Control Board oversees pari-mutuel betting and the
state’s 7 racetracks.

Social Gambling: Illegal

As covered with Section 750.314, it’s illegal for people to make bets outside
of what’s approved by law. No exceptions are made for social gaming, therefore
the activity is assumed illegal.

We haven’t seen any incidents where a non-raked home gambling function was
busted, but we did find an incident where a
Detroit-area banquet hall was raided.

One point worth making is that the game involved over 50 people and nearly
$100,000 total. Another aspect is that the banquet hall owners were selling
alcohol during the tournament.

Even in states that allow charity gambling, the hosts aren’t supposed to
profit in any way. The fact that the hall owners sold liquor only made the game
a greater target.

Gambling Venues in Michigan

We discussed earlier how Michigan has a thriving casino scene, with venues
located all over the state.

The three largest casinos are clustered in the Detroit metropolitan area,
which is home to 4.29 million people.

The majority of the tribal casinos are found near Lake Michigan, going from
the bottom part of the state up to the Upper Peninsula.

Speaking of the Upper Peninsula, this is home to 10 casinos despite just
over 311,000 people living in this rural area. We imagine that tourism must help
support these casinos.

Below you can see some commercial and tribal gaming establishments in the
state:

1) Bay Mills Resort & Casino

11386 W Lakeshore Dr, Brimley, MI 49715

2) Greektown Casino Hotel

555 E Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226

3) Gun Lake Casino

1123 129th Ave, Wayland, MI 49348

4) FireKeepers Casino Hotel

11177 E Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49014

5) Island Resort & Casino

W 399 US-2, Harris, MI 49845

6) MGM Grand Detroit

1777 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

7) Kewadin Casino

7761 Candy Cane Lane, Christmas, MI 49862

8) Little River Casino & Resort

2700 Orchard Hwy, Manistee, MI 49660

9) MotorCity Casino Hotel

2901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

10) Saganing Eagles Landing

2690 Worth Rd, Standish, MI 48658

11) Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel

7741 M72 East, Williamsburg, MI 49690

History of Gambling in Michigan

Founded in 1837, Michigan waited almost a full century to get involved in the
legal matters of gambling.

Michigan Gov. John Engler negotiated a tribal gaming pact with the state’s
tribes in the early 1990s. This launched the casino era in Michigan, with over a
dozen tribal casinos opening by 1996.

Yet another casino boom happened in 1999, when the first of three gambling
resorts opened in Detroit.

As their history shows, the Great Lake State has never shied away from
gambling. Hopefully the next big move involves them legalizing online gaming.

State Legislature legalizes pari-mutuel betting; Suffolk Downs opens the same year.

Plainridge Park racetrack opens and begins offering harness racing.

Legislature and voters approve Expanded Gaming Act, which allows for three commercial casino licenses and one slots parlor.

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe agrees to casino compact with state, but they’re rejected by Indian Bureau of Affairs.

Sen. Flanagan begins discussions on regulated online gaming.

Anti-casino lobbying group launches referendum to stop casinos; voters defeat bill by 60%/40% ratio.

MGM and Wynn awarded two of the state’s three casino-resort licenses.

Michigan Gambling FAQs

Michigan’s online gaming market is far from clear due to the absence of
language in their criminal code, which leads to a lot of common iGaming-related
questions.

That said, let’s look at some of the biggest FAQs regarding the state’s
internet gambling.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal?

The Michigan Gaming Control Board questioned whether or not daily fantasy
sport (DFS) are illegal in 2015, but no move was ever made to ban DFS.

This means that industry leaders DraftKings and FanDuel continue operating in
Michigan.

The state currently has two bills on the table to legalize DFS; SB 461 and SB
462 both seek to legalize and regulate the activity.

Gamble Online Legally

Michigan also has HB 4060 up for review, which seeks to legalize sports
betting. Odds are slim that this will pass because New Jersey lost a federal
lawsuit to legalize sports wagering.

If things ever change, the Wolverine State could be one of the newest states
to add sportsbooks in its casinos.

Has Michigan Ever Busted an Online Gaming Site?

We’ve mentioned multiple times how Michigan’s online gambling market is a
grey area, which allows numerous online casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks to
operate in their market.

But this doesn’t mean that Michigan has never taken action against an online
operator.

They were part of a 2010 sting that
nabbed a $178 million online sports betting ring.

Michigan police conducted search and seizures to collect property and
millions of dollars in connection with the case. Others that participated in the
sting included Arizona, Florida, Louisiana and Nevada.

38 people were arrested on enterprise corruption charges.

The operation featured sports betting sites in Costa Rica where bets on
pro/college baseball, basketball, football and hockey were taken. The sites in
question were CrownSports.com and JazzSports.com.

Obviously, this case should make offshore operators leery of serving Michigan
(or any of the other states involved in the 2010 bust).

Why doesn’t Michigan Have Legal Online Casinos?

The entire U.S. has been slow to embrace internet gaming. In fact, Delaware,
Nevada and New Jersey are the only states that have legalized the activity so
far.

Most states have taken a wait-and-see approach, hoping to see how successful
these three states are with online gaming.

New Jersey is the only moderate success story right now, which is mainly due
to them having a large population (8.96m) and legalizing both casino & poker
games.

Michigan has an even larger population (9.92m), and past/current legislative
efforts include both casino and poker products.

If they indeed regulate online gaming, they’ll be a success just like New
Jersey.

Additional Resources

Gamble Online Where

This state has two main gaming authorities, including the Michigan Lottery
and the Michigan Gaming Commission. Here’s a closer look at both of these
agencies along with additional resources:

The Gaming Commission handles many gambling-related duties for the state,
including licensing casinos, enforcing gaming regulations and overseeing the
racing industry. The website above explains many topics regarding the state’s
casino and racing industries.

The Michigan Lottery runs the state’s 10 lottery games. They also promote
these products and handle payouts for winners.

This site features information on the Gaming Control Revenue Act, which was
signed into effect in 1996. The website explains the legislation, including many
topics regarding commercial and tribal casinos.

The Future & Your Views

Can You Sports Gamble Online In Michigan

Unlike California, New York and Pennsylvania, Michigan doesn’t steal
headlines for their online gaming pursuits. But they’re right in the thick of
the matter, and could become the next state with a regulated market.

The Great Lake State has the elements needed to succeed in this realm,
including the following:

• Large population.
• Plenty of interested
  casinos.
• Long-standing casino
  market that’s eager for growth.
• Legislation that seeks
  both casino and poker games.

Unfortunately, Michigan also has roadblocks to overcome before they legalize
the activity.

The biggest is tribal gaming interests, who feel that they have a smaller
chance of obtaining licensing through SB 203.

Where Can I Gamble

We’ve seen a rift between tribal casinos and lawmakers ground online poker
legislation in California for several years. The hope is that the same thing
doesn’t happen here.

But even if it takes time for all sides to come to an agreement, Michigan is
still poised to become one of the earliest states with legal online gaming.