Michigan online poker bill still on the table
Despite months of inaction, the state is still hoping to approve the bill before the end of the year.
US.- Lawmakers are meeting later this week to discuss the bill and will make a comeback in November to try to finalise the plan. Senator Mike Kowall said that there’s still plenty of time to get online casino games approved before this year ends. Michigan would be the first state to legalise online gaming since 2013.
Michigan first legalised online lottery in 2014, and has been pushing for online casino games for the past three years. Online gaming supporters are still working with tribal groups and three Detroit casinos to get a common ground on the plan for online betting. Earlier this year the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee approved the legislation that was later sent to a possible vote by the full senate.
A regulated market could boost the state’s gaming industry: the Detroit casinos get almost US$1.5 billion a year from gamblers, whilst the 23 tribal casinos win US$1.5 billion annually. US Senator Harry Reid said that he has no plans to push for a federal online gambling ban during the upcoming session of Congress.
