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Michigan landed the fifth spot nationally for overall casino experience in a new study, trailing Nevada, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and Louisiana among the country’s legal land-based casino states.
The analysis, published by BetMGM Casino MI, drew on data from the American Gaming Association‘s “State of the States 2026” report. Researchers evaluated 27 states with legal land-based properties, weighting several player-focused factors to build an overall ranking rather than relying solely on revenue or market size.
BetMGM has a solid presence in the state of Michigan, both retail and online, and is one of the top Michigan online casinos available to players. New players can also take advantage of generous MI online casino bonuses.
In addition to the iGaming platform, it also operates MGM Grand Detroit.
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$25 on the House
PLUS 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. MI, NJ and WV only. New Customers Only (If applicable). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/Bonus Bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.
Use Bonus Code: PLAYMI
Top 10 states for casino experience
According to the study, the top 10 states are:
- Nevada
- South Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Mississippi
- Massachusetts
- Florida
The fifth-place finish of Michigan retail casinos puts it ahead of other established gaming markets, including Massachusetts and Florida, both of which also cracked the top 10. The state’s ranking reflects its position as one of the more mature commercial markets in the country, alongside its long-running tribal gaming industry.
How the rankings were determined
BetMGM said its methodology focused on factors most likely to shape a player’s on-the-ground experience at a casino, rather than overall gaming revenue. Each factor was assigned a weight based on its importance to the player experience, and states were scored accordingly.
The company noted that while the AGA’s report supplied the underlying data, the gaming association had no role in developing or endorsing the rankings themselves. BetMGM Casino described the methodology as reflecting its own “user-focused perspective,” and acknowledged that other analysts using different criteria could reach different conclusions about which states perform best.
$25 on the House
PLUS 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. MI, NJ and WV only. New Customers Only (If applicable). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/Bonus Bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.
Use Bonus Code: PLAYMI
$25 on the House
PLUS 100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. MI, NJ and WV only. New Customers Only (If applicable). Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/Bonus Bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.
Use Bonus Code: PLAYMI
A strong showing for Detroit’s casino market
Michigan’s commercial casino industry is anchored by three Detroit properties:
- MGM Grand Detroit
- MotorCity Casino
- Hollywood Casino at Greektown
Beyond Detroit, the state is home to more than 20 tribal gambling venues operated under compacts with the state, spanning the Upper Peninsula down through the southern Lower Peninsula.
The Great Lakes State has also become one of the top markets in the country for iGaming, with the state’s iGaming revenue consistently ranking near the top nationally since online wagering launched in 2021.
BetMGM is one of the most successful operators in Michigan, offering online slots, table games and live dealer titles.
The BetMGM study did not break out state-by-state scores for each individual factor, so it remains unclear exactly where Michigan excelled or fell short compared to the four states that finished ahead of it.
