Michigan Latest State To Allow Online Casinos

Michigan Latest State To Allow Online Casinos ( Click to Enlarge )

The state of Michigan is the latest US state to authorise online casinos. The approval was finalised in December 2018 and once the State Governor, Republican Rick Snyder, signs off the bill it will become law. Michigan will then become the fifth US state to approve some form of online gambling: the others are New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Delaware. It’s highly likely that West Virginia will also approve online sports betting in the near future.

When Will The Bill Become Law?

Unfortunately for residents, the Michigan online casino Bill won’t become law instantly. So, there won’t be any legal slots, poker or roulette play happening for a few weeks, possibly months, yet. The final details of the Bill and the way it will be regulated and overseen by watchdogs still need to be worked out by State regulators and this detail is expected to take several months to finalise in full. All the concerns of land-based casino operators will also need to be taken into account.

This latest move is one more step along the way towards the expansion of regulated gambling in the United States and means that Michigan residents will soon be able to benefit from safe gambling in online casinos that are overseen by regulatory authorities.

Michigan Gambling Landscape

The state of Michigan already has an established land-based casino sector, featuring several Native American casinos and a huge gaming centre in the Detroit area. The State has been eyeing up the online casino platforms for many years now, although worries were expressed about potential loss of income by traditional casinos. The Bill guarantees a minimum of $179mn to state coffers, even if it means that less money is raised by city land-based casino brands.

It’s possible this move will spark off interest in online gambling from Michigan’s neighbouring states. Although, most current interest seems to revolve around sports betting.

The Michigan Bill does also open opportunities for online sports betting, in casinos and in dedicated sites. And, this will be a first for Michigan residents who have previously been banned from placing legal online sports bets.

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