Michigan could see online gaming this year

A spokesperson for the Michigan Gaming Control Board has said online gambling could be launched by the end of the year.

US.- Online gambling could launch in the state of Michigan by the end of the year after the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted to waive a 15-day waiting period to approve regulations.

The vote means the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) will be able to officially file the final draft of online betting regulations to the department of state.

The next step in the legalisation process will be for the MGCB to receive licence applications from casinos along with their vendors and suppliers. It will review applications and approve those that meet requirements.

A spokesperson for the MGCB said it was likely that casinos would be able to offer online betting before the end of the year. Analysts have estimated that online gambling could generate over $90m in revenue in the first year alone.

At present, all three of Michigan’s casinos have retail sportsbooks and 20 out of 23 of the state’s tribal casinos either already have a sportsbook in or are in the process of opening one.

Casinos in Michigan are currently closed after Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration implemented new measures following a spike in Covid-19 cases. Casinos will be able to open next week at the earliest.