The History of Legalization of Online Casinos in Michigan

In 2021, Michigan’s gambling laws legalized online casinos, poker, and sports betting in the state. This was no real surprise as similar legislation was made to the governor’s desk without being vetoed like the previous year.

Within the first few weeks after the legalization of online casinos, bettors across the country had access to dozens of legal gambling apps. Still, more are scheduled to be launched this year. The legalization came into being through a series of state bills.

Why the legalization of online casinos is important

The legalization of online casinos came as a result of a protracted campaign by iGaming fans. Most of them called for regulating online casinos in the country to avoid fraud. Responsible online gaming is the basic foundation of successful online casinos.

This legalization process is committed to reducing betting risks via innovation in Michigan online casino games. More betting safety measures are being introduced from time to time to curb any illegal betting activities online.

The legalization timeline

In 2016, a measure was introduced in Michigan to legalize online casinos. This allowed the tribal and commercial casinos to provide internet gambling. Though, the bill would later be abandoned in the Senate.

Early in 2017, the bill started being revived, and in the early spring, some changes were made to the bill. Later, the House Regulatory Reform Committee ratified the bill with the new changes.

When lawmakers returned to Lansing in the autumn of 2018, the measure was taken, and just a few days to Christmas, the bill was approved by the Senate. The decision to veto the bill shocked lots of people. Some expressed worries that the bill would impact the iGaming and the state’s School Aid Fund.

In 2019, the Lawful Internet Gaming Act got revived. All proposals made by the Senate passed, and on December 11, the Senate passed the gambling expansion bill. 

Several casinos with in-person sportsbooks started preparing for their launch in 2020. Due to the pandemic, most activities were shut down, and the MGCB requested game providers to launch their betting apps on January 22, 2021.

The launch of casino apps

Luckily, no obstacle stood in the way of the deadline as scheduled by the MGCB. Some online casinos launched on the scheduled date include the Golden Nugget, WynnBET, BetRivers, and DraftKings. These are some of the best online casino apps you can use if you plan to travel this year to Michigan. The launch led to a record-breaking $27.5 million in revenue for that month.

Michigan gambling laws

Like the casino legalization in the US, several laws came into effect after the regulation of online casinos in Michigan. Of course, existing gambling laws came into effect in the late 1990s. One of the oldest bills is under the Lottery Act of 1972, which permitted retail casinos in the state.

The Michigan Gaming and Control Act of 1996 also legalized casinos on non-tribal land. In December 2019, House Bill No. 4916 was signed to legalize sports betting.

The lawful Internet Gaming Act was signed in the same year to authorize internet gambling not limited to online poker and other games. This Act authorizes the MGCB to give out licenses to internet gaming operators. 

The latest bill of law, the Fantasy Contests Consumer Protection Act of 2019, regulates the state’s fantasy sports contests. Michigan State has also authorized online horse racing betting through advance deposit wagering.

Some of the different types of gambling legalized include online poker, casino-style games, fantasy sports contests and sports betting. You are allowed to purchase online lottery tickets, which the Michigan Bureau of State Lottery regulates.