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Michigan Gambling Laws

Michigan Gambling Laws Average ratng: 5,6/10 384 votes

The Michigan gambling industry had come a long way since 1927 when the Michigan Lottery Act was signed, and the State Lottery was established. Since the end of 2019, online casinos and poker are legal in the state (awaiting launch). There is still a lot left to be done, though, as the first licensed online gambling facilities are yet to launch.

Michigan Gambling Laws

Gambling online is now being legalized in a number of states and as of late 2019, Michigan has followed in the footsteps of New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware despite the fact that in 2018, former Governor Rick Snyder vetoed the legislation, the matter of MI online betting was seemingly been put on hold.

  • One question must be way up on your mind: Is gambling legal in Michigan? Online poker became fully legal on December 20th 2019 when Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bills 4311-12, 4916-18, 4307 and 4308 into law. As a result, the Lawful Internet Gaming Act was introduced. Best Online Poker Sites for Michigan.
  • The Michigan Gaming Control Board shall ensure the conduct of fair and honest gaming to protect the interests of the citizens of the state of Michigan.
  • Michigan Compiled Statutes Casino Gambling Regulated 432.201 Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act. 432.203 Casino gaming authorized. (1) Casino gaming is authorized to the extent that it is conducted in accordance with this act. (2) Except as provided in subsection (5).

In the current overview, we’ll deal with each segment of the market individually. The page covers casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and the relevant laws that put all these into a legal context. As you read, you’ll learn where you can bet legally and what future developments to expect. We’ll also share a word about responsible gambling that you may find useful as this is a hot button issue that needs to be addressed.

Gambling in Michigan: Where to Legally Bet

Contents

  • Gambling in Michigan: Where to Legally Bet
    • Michigan Sports Betting: NFL Wagering & More
  • An Overview of the Michigan Gambling Market
    • Famous Gamblers from Michigan
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Gambling Michigan comprises different verticals such as sports betting, remote and land-based gambling. All these different sides of the business bring something to the table. If you’ve not yet settled for a particular Michigan gambling type, we strongly recommend you explore all avenues before deciding what suits you best. The following few paragraphs provide insight into the currently legal forms of gambling in the state based on which you can draw your own conclusion what fits your style.

Land-based Michigan Casino Gambling

Land-based casinos were among the gambling premises that were legal before the reforms that followed late 2019. Venues of this type come in all shapes and sizes. The biggest facility in Michigan housing casino games is MGM Grand Detroit. Even money-making facilities this big, suffer a big blow during a situation of a global pandemic. The crisis of early 2020 was a big setback for the sector and had a major rippling effect on the business of land-based casino operators.

Michigan casino visitors can choose from a wider range of slot machines alongside table games such as roulette, and blackjack. Those three are the main categories that are characteristic for casinos in Michigan, but there are other game types you can enjoy as well. Baccarat and Casino Hold’em are said to be very profitable too thanks to a reasonable house edge. As if the games are not attractive enough, but you can also take advantage of bonus offers and promotions.

Michigan Online Casino Gambling: The Future of Gaming

The groundwork for functioning online gambling in Michigan was laid with the signing of the Michigan online gambling bill titled House Bill 4311 on December 20, 2019. Governor Whitmer did that singlehandedly while promising that tax revenue will go to schools and the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund (FROCF). The bill enables tribal casinos to take part in online gambling at an equal footing with Detroit casinos. House Bill 4311 formulated the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, whereby the Michigan Gaming Control Board was entrusted with the responsibility of licensing the casino games for online gambling. Currently, all forms of casino games can be offered online.

  • Roulette
  • Blackjack
  • Baccarat
  • Slot Machines
  • Live Casino
  • Jackpots
  • Sratch Cards
  • Craps
  • Casino Hold’em

The launch date for the first licensed online casinos is still up in the air. While the exact date is unknown, we do know that it’s happening sooner rather than later. If we are to look at it conservatively, we can see the first online casinos launching before mid-2021. After all, legislators still have work to do, and the system could be quite cumbersome. As we already know, HB 4311 treats tribal and commercial casinos even-handedly, so we can expect that they would be the first operators with licensed online gambling sites in Michigan.

Michigan Sports Betting: NFL Wagering & More

HB 4916 effectuated the Lawful Sports Betting Act and with that, paved the way for legal sports betting in the confines of Michigan’s gambling sites. The bill also states that bets made online will be put in the same category as wagers made at the physical gambling venue of the respective operator. Dedicated sports betting operators are also included in the legal framework of HB 4916, giving them the legal means to obtain a license if compliant. Revenue from sports betting also goes in support of the school system and the FRPCF. We’ll be sure to write a guide to Michigan sports betting once legal sportsbooks have been launched online and at casino locations. There are currently no online betting locations, but you can place wagers at land-based locations

Currently these are the Michigan casinos with sportsbooks:

  • Scientific Games Sportsbook at Fire Keeper’s Casino (Battle Creek)
  • Sportsbook at Greektown Casino Hotel (Detroit)
  • Bet MGM at MGM Grand Detroit (Detroit)
  • FanDuel Sportsbook at MotorCity Casino (Detroit)
  • Pointsbet Sportsbook at Northern Waters Casino (Watersmeet)
  • FOX Bet Sportsbook at Odawa Casino (Petoskey)
  • William Hill Sportsbook at Turtle Creek Casino (Williamsburg)
  • William Hill Sportsbook at Leelanau Sands Casino (Peshawbestown)
  • Daily Fantasy Sports: Legal in the State

    The Fantasy Contests Consumer Protection Act introduced by HB 4308 has put fantasy sports contests into law. The reform entails the legalization of commercial and private contests. As it stands, both are considered a legal form of gambling. Much like sports betting, daily fantasy sports appeal to the adult part of the sport-loving community in the USA, but that doesn’t mean operators will necessarily offer both services. The main difference between the two, from a bettor’s standpoint, is that there are fewer daily fantasy sports operators than there are sports betting ones. Two of the reputable daily fantasy sports sites are Draft Kings and FanDuel DFS.

    Online Poker

    With HB 4311 coming into effect, Michigan joined the exclusive club of states with legal online poker. As good as it may sound, that’s only the first step of having legal poker sites offering their services to Michigan players. It seems logical that Michigan will be included in the shared player pool of Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, as this is the only way to fast forward to a stable online poker industry. Michigan gambling operators will have the right to launch poker rooms that are powered by not more than two poker brands. In all probability, the giant PokerStars will want to capitalize on the opportunity.

    Gambling on The Michigan State Lottery

    The state lottery is the financial motor of many unrelated domains like education, for example. According to the reports from the last fiscal year, the state lottery funnelled $1 billion into the school system of Michigan. It’s more than clear, that Michigan lottery is not only legal but also a mechanism for sponsoring education. Now that we’ve established that let’s talk about what lotto games you can play. The range includes upwards of 80 different games, most of which are of the scratchcards type. While some of these games have a progressive jackpot up for grabs, there draw games like Mega Millions, Powerball that do a better job of dishing out big sums of money.

    Much like the other forms of gambling in Michigan, the Michigan Lottery takes exception to underage gaming. The legal age for taking part in any of the games on the site of the Michigan Lottery is 18 years. The issue isn’t taken lightly, not in the slightest. In order to play any of the games hosted on a given lottery site, users must first make registration, in the process of which, they must provide picture ID verifying they are of legal age.

    An Overview of the Michigan Gambling Market

    As a result of the state-wide voting in 1996, the Michigan Gaming Control board was formed and entrusted with the legal responsibility of regulating gambling in the state. The bill of late 2020 put online sports betting and online gaming on the map of the Michigan gambling industry. Since Detroit and tribe casinos are among the eligible for remote gambling license operators, it falls to the Gaming Control’s lot to do the compliance checks and determine which ones are in line with the requirements. We already established that underage gambling in Michigan is a crime as well as in other states. So that’s the first and biggest hurdle to avoid if you want to gamble responsibly.

    The Most Important Michigan Gambling Laws

    Inarguably, the most important piece of legislation is the lawful internet gaming act as it legalized online gambling of the people of Michigan’s own accord. The act not only makes, all forms of wagering legal over the internet but subjects operators to elastic taxation the degree of which is determined by the adjusted gross receipts (revenue) of each operator. The minimum tax percentage is 20% – for operators whose adjusted gross receipts are less than $4 Mil. Gaming operators of native Indian tribes are taxed according to different criteria.

    As for the players, there is a 4.25% tax on gambling winnings below $5,000. Win a penny more, and the state keeps back 25%. All gambling and lottery winnings are considered taxable income. Not to mention that if you fail to present a Social Security number, the tax increases from 25% to 28%. Typically the casino will automatically deduce your dues to the state from your winnings and provide you with a receipt in the end.

    Now about the legal gambling age in Michigan. For lotteries, horse racing and tickets for charitable events with an element of gambling the minimum permitted age is 18 years. When it comes to casinos, only players 21 and above are allowed to enter – in coherence with the drinking age, which is also 21 years.

    Resources for Responsible Gambling

    All licensed for the state of Michigan operators are committed to the cause summarized by the words ‘responsible gambling’. They provide their customers with the means of getting immediate help such as a hotline and counselling. Undeniably, NCPG is at the forefront of helping not only Michigan problem gamblers but players from around the country. Live support is available 24/7, and the service is strictly confidential. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with an NCPG agent if you notice so much as a hint of problem gambling in your life.

    Promoting responsible gambling to be a duty of all operators is one of the things the Michigan Gaming Control Board is there to establish. The gaming platforms themselves must contain information on the issue and to link in one way or another to the NCPG’s official website. The level of compliance of gambling operators is evaluated by the iCAP (Internet Responsible Gambling Compliance Assessment Program) through the Internet Responsible Gambling Standards.

    The History of Gambling in the State

    It’s fair to say that Michigan’s gambling history can be traced back to 1933 when pari-mutuel betting first became legal in some horseracing tracks in the state. That year Public Act 199 was enacted, laying the groundwork for the first licensed pari-mutuel race fixture conducted on September 2, 1933. The year 1972, The Michigan Lottery Act passed the house, whereby the state lottery was founded. All things lottery were set in motion with that piece of legislation. It wasn’t until 1988 that tribal casinos opened in Michigan. They were founded on Native American land but were and still are open for visitors irrespective of ethnicity.

    In 1997, The Michigan Gaming Control Board was formed and appointed the regulatory body of the gambling industry in the state. The decision came on the heels of the 1996 Proposal E, which authorized three commercial casinos based in Detroit. Similarly, in September 2017 Brandt Iden proposed a bill legalizing sports betting in Michigan, which was only passed by the house late 2018. Finally, in December 2019, HB4311 introduced The Lawful Internet Gaming Act, thus making pretty much all forms of online gambling legal.

    Famous Gamblers from Michigan

    For lack of official statistic for casino winnings, we’ll abstain from speculating who’s the most successful casino gambler. However, such statistic, as well as ample televised events, are available in the poker world up to this day. Many young poker players came into prominence on account of a good performance in a major tournament. Somewhere along those lines goes the story of most famous Michigan gamblers. Let’s take a look at two of the well-known names in the poker players community of the state of Michigan.

    Joe Cada

    Joe Cada is the typical example of a young man living the American dream. He is a professional poker player born in 1987 in Shelby Charter Township, Michigan. He became the youngest WSOP Main Event champion, winning first prize at the age of 21. Up until that moment, Cada presents himself as a typical online poker player, accumulating upwards of $500,000 in online tournament winnings. Although he continues to make an appearance in live poker events, Joe Cada didn’t manage to surpass his 2009 achievement when he won the mind-boggling $8,547,044 in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event.

    Ryan Riess

    The first big achievement of Ryan Riess was second place at the WSOPC main event in Hammond Indiana, making him $239,063 richer. Later the same year, he managed to cash in a few more times in various tournaments around the United States. All that pales in comparison to what Ryan Riess did in his WSOP Main Event debut in 2013. He bounced back from a position of serious disadvantage to win it all in a heads-up match against Jay Farber. The first place came with a$8,361,570 in cash, which is the biggest cash prize Riess has ever won.

    Key State Figures/Facts

    With its many lakes and diverse landscape, Michigan is a sight to behold. On the other hand, Detroit, the largest and most populated city in Michigan, is still known as the car capital of the world, and that has nothing to do with nature. It was and still is a heavily industrialized city, nowadays also famed for its casinos. We already made it clear the first three casinos were founded there, and the Michigan Gaming Control Board was established in light of that.

    Facts About Michigan
    Population9,987,000
    Min. Income/month$1,672.67
    Largest Land-based CasinoMGM Grand Detroit
    Gambling CommissionerMichigan Gaming Control Board
    Spoken LanguagesEnglish 91.11% Spanish 2.93%, Arabic 1.04%, Other 4.92%
    Famous Sports TeamsDetroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons.
    Michigan Tax AuthorityInternal Revenue Service
    Link to the State Law http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(2b2kem2qpl03lvvvdxoe24rw))/mileg.aspx?page=chapterindex
    Gambling Winning TaxUp to 25% (depending on winnings amount)
    State Website Linkhttps://www.michigan.gov/
    Michigan GamblersRyan Riess, Joe Cada

    That is Michigan in a nutshell. One thing that might not become immediately obvious is the love for sports of the people who live there. Sports and sports betting are part of everyday life there. The biggest sports club names that attract the most attention are the Detroit Lions, the Michigan Wolverines, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons. Despite the gambling winnings tax, every season, bettors would back their favorite clubs up with wagers. To sum up, if you are a fan of sports or automobiles, Michigan is the place to go.

    Conclusion: Final Thoughts & Future Outlook

    There are no changes in the Michigan gambling law scheduled for the foreseeable future. Although the fundamental legislative framework has already been established, the first Michigan online gaming sites are expected to launch sometime in 2021. We are sure all that time will not go to waste and ultimately, it will be the bettors who will benefit from the diligent preparation. When the time is right for the first remote gambling operators to launch their services, we hope to witness a well-regulated market with a good number of games and bonuses.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Online gambling is still something relatively new in Michigan, not to mention that the first operator licenses are yet to be issued. It’s only natural that bettors from the state will have questions. We are here to answer those. Below, you’ll find the commonly asked questions about gambling in Michigan and our concise answers.

    Is gambling legal in Michigan?

    Land-based casinos have been legal for quite a while in Michigan thanks to the gambling laws that are in effect. The most recent developments gave online gambling legal status as well. There are no operating online casinos or betting sites as of yet. An educated guess suggests that such could be expected not earlier than 2021.

    What is the legal gambling age in Michigan?

    The minimum gambling age in Michigan is 18 years. At this age, residents are eligible to buy lottery tickets and bet on horse racing. Casino gamblers need to be at least 21 years of age. When it comes to entering a land-based gambling premise, there are special cases in which people younger than that are allowed in.

    What is the tax on gambling or lottery winnings in Michigan?

    First off, in Michigan, winnings from gambling count as taxable income according to the Michigan gambling law. The gambling winnings retention rate is 4.25%. That comes in the form of a tax that needs to be paid to the IRS. However, 4.25% is the alleviated tax for small winnings. For gambling profits bigger than $5,000, the tax is 25%.

    How to get a gambling license in Michigan?

    If we are talking about online casino in Michigan, the first and foremost rule is that the operator needs to have a physical casino somewhere on the territory of the state to even be considered as a license applicant. Provided that's' the case, then the Michigan Gaming Control Board performs a thorough background check before its final decision.

    Michigan legal gambling money goes where?

    The majority of the gambling revenue tax (Michigan Lottery included) goes to the School Aid Fund. That is the State Wagering Tax (8.1% of the casinos' net revenue). When it comes to The City Wagering Tax (10.9% of the casinos' net revenue), it could be used for anything from economic development to strengthening police presence on the streets.

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Home » US Poker Laws – State by State Reviews » Michigan Online Poker Laws, Bills & Poker Sites

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April 30th, 2018 Last updated on January 30th, 2021
Michigan Online Poker Laws, Bills & Poker Sites
Last Updated January 30, 2021

With casinos aplenty and a strong gambling tradition, the state of Michigan is a natural fit for poker. Online poker has been a hit as well, but with its sharply rising popularity come a number of questions – about the law, about how poker is regulated, about how to play and more. We can’t answer every question you have about online poker in Michigan, but we can get you pointed in the right direction with our Guide to Playing Online Poker in Michigan.

People always want to know, can you play poker online for money in Michigan? In this case, the answer to the question for Michigan is yes – it’s easy to setup an online poker account from Michigan and play for real money in a matter of minutes. There are plenty of sites that accept players from Michigan – but we still suggest that players start their search with a room from this real money USA list.

Latest Updates from Michigan’s Online Poker Efforts

On December 20, 2019, Michigan became the sixth state in the new US internet gambling market to legalize online poker. It also became the fifth to legalize online casino games and the 20th to authorize sports betting.

It was not an easy road, but the tenacity of a few lawmakers made it happen.

Efforts began in 2017 with Michigan State Senator Mike Kowall introducing an online poker bill, one later picked up on the other side of the legislature by State Representative Brandt Iden. After a committee passage on the Senate side and positive informational hearing on the House side, the bills died.

In 2018, Kowall and Iden put their bills – SB.203 and HB.4926, respectively – back into play. Both were called the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. There was some activity throughout the year, including a rewrite of the Senate bill, but Iden began pushing his House bill in the summer. He took his bill to the House floor, where it passed by a 68-to-40 vote.

After the summer break and late into the year, Kowall took HB.4926 to the Senate floor on the last day of the session for the year. And during that last day, during the week before Christmas, the Senate made a few changes but passed it by a vote of 33-to-5. The House then approved the amended bill by a 71-to-38 vote.

Brandt Iden introduced HB 4926, better known as the Michigan online poker bill.

The bill went to then-Governor Rick Snyder for his signature, but instead, he vetoed it on December 28. He claimed that the issue required more study, worrying that online gambling would affect land-based gambling revenue. The veto was a massive disappointment for online poker supporters, especially Iden and Kowall.

Kowall retired at the end of 2018, so Iden found a new supporter in the Senate in State Senator Curtis Hertel Jr. In early 2019, the two introduced identical bills, both called the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, which were essentially reiterations of the 2018 bills. The Senate bill was SB.186, and the House version was HB.4311.

Laws

Iden quickly took HB.4311 to the House Regulatory Reform Committee, but a hearing revealed that the Michigan Department of Treasury announced that it opposed the bill due to certain harm to the state’s online lottery sales and land-based gambling establishments. Newly-elected Governor Gretchen Whitmer agreed and issued a counterproposal to Iden’s bill.

Whitmer’s suggestions removed online slot games from the bill and raised licensing fees and tax rates significantly. Iden called it a non-starter, and the two engaged in a standoff. Iden said that Whitmer refused to meet for further negotiations.

At the beginning of December, Hertel stepped in. He was a Democrat, as was the governor, and she once worked for Hertel’s father, who had been in the legislature years before. Hertel met with Whitmer friend and State Representative Rebekah Warren. The two worked out a compromise.

On December 11, the newly-amended bill passed the Michigan Senate by a vote of 35-to-3, and the House re-approved it quickly.

And on December 20, 2019, Governor Whitmer of Michigan signed the bill into law, declaring victory for bipartisanship, compromise, and new revenue dollars for the state.

Michigan Lottery Online Gambling

2019 Lawful Gambling Act

The bill that became law was HB.4311, better known as the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. Its purpose was multi-fold but summed up as:

Operating, conducting, and offering for play internet games… that already occur throughout the state illegally.

Consistent and in compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

Consistent and in compliance with the 1963 Michigan State Constitution, ensuring internet games be played lawfully…only conducted by persons who are lawfully operating casinos in this state.

In order to protect residents of this state who wager on games of chance or skill through the internet and to capture revenues generated from internet gaming.

Use of the internet to sell lottery games, sales of which will not be prohibited by the act.

The three Detroit-based casinos and 23 tribal casinos located throughout the state will be able to apply for licenses to operate online poker and/or casino games. The application fee is $50,000. If approved, the licensee will pay a $100,000 fee for the initial license and $50,000 per year for annual renewals.

The tax rate on gross gaming revenue, which is significantly more than what Iden originally proposed, will be as follows:

20% tax on amounts up to $4M

22% tax on amounts from $4M to $8M

24% tax on amounts from $8M to $10M

26% tax on amounts from $10M to $12M

28% tax on amounts over $12M

The problem with the new law is that it prohibits interstate compacts to share player pools. The purpose was to ease Whitmer’s mind about large online slot jackpots across state lines, but it inadvertently negatively affects online poker’s hopeful growth.

Michigan Gambling & Poker Laws Summarized

Type/CodeSummary
State Code Section(s)432; 750.318.750.301-315
DefinitionsIllegal gambling: Any person or his or her agent or employee who, directly or indirectly, takes, receives, or accepts from any person any money or valuable thing with the agreement, understanding or allegation that any money or valuable thing will be paid or delivered to any person where the payment or delivery is alleged to be or will be contingent upon the result of any race, contest, or game or upon the happening of any event not known by the parties to be certain.

Winning at gambling: 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.

Social media internet game: A game offered over the internet or on a telephone or other mobile device. The chapter does not prohibit a social media internet game from rewarding a player, as a result of chance or uncertain event, with either 1 or more free plays or an extended period of playing time.

Online Poker/GamblingThe issue of legalized online poker was first introduced to lawmakers in 2016 after the Michigan Lottery authorized online lottery ticket sales. There are now bills being offered in both legislative houses to legalize online poker and casino games, and they are being combined with sports betting for consideration in late 2018.
Live PokerSome of the casinos in Michigan do have operational poker rooms with cash games and tournaments offered.
CasinosThere are more than two dozen casinos throughout the state associated with federally-recognized Native American tribes. Some are card rooms or bingo and pull-tab parlors, while others are fully functional casinos with table games and slot machines.
Sports BettingThere are several bills in front of the legislature in 2018 to legalize sports betting through a public vote or to allow parlay wagering. The primary proposal is being considered as a part of an omnibus bill with other forms of online gaming.
DFSA bill is open for consideration in 2018 to legalize and regulate paid-entry fantasy sports contests.
Other Forms of GamblingRecreational card games for seniors, horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, bingo, charitable gambling, redemption games, lottery.

Is Online Poker Legal in Michigan?

Yes. As of December 2019, online poker is legal in Michigan.

The following information is a summary of sections of the previous law relating to gambling. The new Lawful Internet Gaming Act will supersede some of this wording in order to allow the state to license and regulate its own online poker sites.

Before we get into the question of whether online poker is legal in MI, two important caveats. The first: smart gamblers always know the law firsthand, so be sure to review the complete Michigan statutes at this page. Second: we’re not lawyers and this isn’t legal advice. It’s just an aid for reading and understanding the basics of Michigan gambling law.

How does the poker laws in MI apply to online players? Here are some excerpts from the law that should be interesting to anyone playing poker in the state, online or live:

It’s clearly illegal to offer gambling without holding the proper license in Michigan. Section 432.218 makes it a felony to run a

“gambling operation where wagering is used or to be used without a license issued by the board.”

The definition of “gambling game” as written in Michigan law appears to include all forms of real-money poker:

“any game played with cards, dice, equipment or a machine, including any mechanical, electromechanical or electronic device which shall include computers and cashless wagering systems, for money, credit, or any representative of value” (Section 432.202(v)).

Social games of poker with no rake taken are exempted from the above definition.

Interestingly, it’s more of a crime to win at illegal gambling than it is to lose. Section 750.314 details the charge of “winning at gambling” – if you win less than $50, that’s a misdemeanor, and if your winnings cross the $50 threshold, you could potentially be looking at jail time (by the letter of the law). It’s also a crime to lose, but no jail time is involved and the law allows you to sue the winner to recoup your losses.

Laws

There are numerous accessory and conspiracy charges that bring additional criminal exposure to individuals involved in the business operations (even if the connection is tenuous) of illegal gambling activity.

Michigan Gambling Facts

There’s a long relationship between Michigan and gambling, but it wasn’t until the 1900s that the state began a slow and steady march to expand regulated gambling. Horse racing came first, with pari-mutuel wagering getting the nod in 1933. The lottery followed in 1972, and laws governing charitable gambling passed the same year. Following that burst of activity, proponents of regulated gambling had a bit of a wait before further progress was made. In fact, it would be nearly 20 years before additional options were introduced in the state.

Regulated Michigan Gambling Options

What’s there to do for a gambler in Michigan seeking regulated choices? Plenty – you’ll find all of the major five regulated gambling formats on offer in Michigan. If you need a quick refresher, that means commercial casinos, tribal gambling options, pari-mutuel betting, and the state-run lottery. Casinos (commercial and tribal) are spread throughout the state, with the highest concentration in and around the Detroit area.

The newly regulated market in Michigan is more than a year away from becoming a reality.

The state gambling regulator will need to devise detailed regulations, open a licensing application window, vet applicants, and ultimately issue licenses. Approved operators and land-based casino partners will then need to design and prepare their online poker sites, test them, and receive a final approval from the regulator for a full launch.

There might be a launch by the end of 2021 or later. That’s currently the best estimate at this time.

All Poker and Gambling Laws by State

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Famous Michigan Poker Players

A great number of famous poker players have hailed from Michigan.

Michigan Online Gambling Laws

Michigan Gambling Laws

Some might remember the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Ryan Reiss, who won more than $8.3 million for that one tournament. Going back a bit further, Joe Cada was the 2009 WSOP Main Event champion, who won more than $8.5 million for his victory. (Cada has won three more WSOP bracelets since then.)

Dan Heimiller is a longtime poker pro, taking third place on the Michigan leaderboard after Riess and Cada, with online poker player Jeff Gross coming in fourth on the list. David Baker – formerly known as DBakes – got his start in online poker and played a fair amount of live and online throughout his poker career.

As of 2021, these were the top players in the category of Michigan natives and their lifetime live tournament earnings:

1. Ryan Riess ($15 million)
2. Joe Cada ($14.3 million)
3. Dan Heimiller ($6.3 million)
4. Jeff Gross ($3.3 million)
5. David Baker ($3.2 million)
6. Nicolas Manion ($2.9 million)
7. Ping Liu ($2 million)
8. Dash Dudley ($1.8 million)
9. Anthony Gargano ($1.8 million)
10. Dean Hamrick ($1.7 million)

Sources & Citations For This Article on Michigan Online Poker