Michigan Online Gambling

Yes. By virtue of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature on House Bill 4311 in December 2019, online gambling of many different types is now legal in Michigan.

Online casinos and online sports betting officially launched on Jan. 22, 2021. Online poker launched a week later.

Yes. Two retail sportsbooks launched on March 11, 2020 in Detroit with a third launching the next day. FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek opened the first tribal casino sportsbook in June. Four Winds Casinos, Little River Casino Resort and Island Resort & Casino have launched sportsbooks with more to follow.

Online sports betting launched on Jan. 22, 2021.

At retail sportsbooks, Michigan bettors can wager on most major sports throughout the world. Online, most sports are available for wagering. You can bet on all the major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL) as well as many college sports. The only type of sports off the table are high school athletics, which are disallowed universally in all other sports betting states.

No. Due to federal and state law, only persons from inside state lines are permitted to place wagers.

Online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms all employ geolocation verification software to ensure that players are in the prescribed area. Due to how this software operates, it is more likely that players inside the state will be falsely rejected than it is for players outside the borders to gain access.

Not at all. It is only required that players be inside the state at the time they access the site. Even players from other countries can take part if they hop across the border.

Funding options vary from site to site. However, most players will be able to find at least one option on each site that works, both for deposits and withdrawals.

Some of those methods include credit/debit cards, electronic/paper checks, bank/wire transfers, or prepaid cards. It is also likely that players will be able to add to or withdraw from their accounts at the resident casinos of their favorite sites.

Michigan residents have a variety of online casino games to choose from. This includes:

• Slots
• Progressive jackpots
• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Video Poker

Live dealer games are very popular since it’s the closest thing to being at a casino. Several operators in Michigan will offer live dealer games.

The process for registering for online sports betting, casino or online poker account and getting started is similar across the board.

The procedure begins with a simple click or press of a button. Online gambling sites tend to denote these buttons with phrases like “Register” or “Sign up” or “Play Now.”

The button will lead you to a screen that has blanks for various bits of personal information. You will need to fill out the appropriate boxes for your name, phone number, email address, date of birth, and Social Security number.

You may also be required to select a username, password, and various challenge questions for your security. Make sure that all of these pieces of information are kept in a safe location after you register.

However, the process should take no more than a few minutes. After that, you will be able to deposit and get started with your gambling site of choice.

Downloading a betting app in Michigan is a simple action. For many, the procedure for downloading these apps will be no different than for any other type of app.

First and foremost, the vast majority of online gambling sites come with a browser-based version. So, regardless of your format for accessing the site, it will be available in an optimized form through Safari, Chrome, or your browser of choice.

Most people access mobile apps through either an Apple or Android-compatible device. For iOS users (Apple), they will need only search for their desired apps in the App Store to download them.

Android users will likely have to visit their chosen sites directly to access the .apk file for their phones. After a quick settings adjustment to allow for downloads from other sources, the process should move as usual.

Michigan has 26 casinos with 10 active cardrooms for poker players.

There are three retail sportsbooks at the commercial casinos in Detroit: Greektown Casino-Hotel, MGM Grand Detroit, and MotorCity Casino. In addition, several tribal casinos opened retail books. FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek was the first Michigan tribal casino to launch a sportsbook. Four Winds Casinos in New Buffalo, Dowagiac, and Hartford; Little River in Manistee; Island Resort in Harris; Turtle Creek in Williamsburg; Leelanau Sands in Peshawbestown; Gun Lake in Wayland; and Odawa in Petoskey and Mackinaw City have followed. Kewadin Casinos added Wynn Bet kiosks to its five locations.

Gambling is often a fun activity for most. Unfortunately, some gamblers can overdo their activity and push beyond their limits.

Problem gambling costs its sufferers in both money they can’t afford to lose and time they can’t ever recover. However, there are resources in Michigan that can help both problem gamblers and their families begin on the road to recovery.

The Michigan Association on Problem Gambling (MAPG) is Michigan’s affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling. This nonprofit organization’s sole mission is to assist problem gamblers to a healthier and addiction-free life.

The program offers connections to treatment resources and training for counselors and other caregivers who may encounter problem gamblers. The MAPG is an excellent source for information about how to break the cycle of addiction in Michigan’s casinos and other gambling facilities.

One resource that has helped many problem gamblers are the two main support groups for problem gambling. Both Gamblers Anonymous and GAM-ANON have weekly meetings in multiple locations throughout Michigan.

Michigan gamblers can also visit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)  for other treatment options. Notably, the MDHHS maintains a list of approved gambling treatment providers on a county-by-county basis so that problem gamblers who want help can find it close to their homes.

Additionally, the MDHHS maintains the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-270-7117. The call is toll-free, and counselors are available 24 hours a day.

Finally, for those who wish to walk away from gambling but cannot, the Michigan Gaming Control Board maintains the Michigan Disassociated Persons List. This list, also known in other states as the self-exclusion list, is a registry of those who have self-barred themselves from gambling in the state.

Those who choose to enroll on this list will be prohibited from entering any casinos throughout the state for a specified length of time. That length of time is up to and including a permanent ban. However, for those who cannot stop, such drastic measures may be necessary to keep them on the path to recovery.