The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) recently authorized the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, owners of the Odawa Casino in Petoskey, to launch online gaming via Poker Stars and online sports betting via FoxBet.
On January 22, Greektown Casino in Detroit launched online sports betting through Penn Sports Interactive/Barstool Sportsbook & Casino.
MGCB Executive Director Richard Kalm said, “We welcome the addition of Odawa Casino, Poker Stars, Fox Bet and Barstool Casino to Michigan’s growing online gaming and sports wagering market. Their participation will generate revenue to support education, tribal communities and the city of Detroit.”
Odawa and Greektown will be the ninth and tenth casinos to offer both online gaming and sports betting in the state. Kalm noted Odawa Casino and Poker Stars will be the first in Michigan to offer peer-to-peer poker games online. “A law permitting multi-jurisdictional poker recently was signed in Michigan, but is not yet in effect and cannot begin until agreements are negotiated with other states,” he said.
The other operators and platform providers are:
- Bay Mills Indian Community, DraftKings
- Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, William Hill
- Hannahville Indian Community, TwinSpires
- Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Golden Nugget Online Gaming
- Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Rush Street
- MGM Grand Detroit, BetMGM/Roar Digital
- MotorCity Casino, FanDuel
- Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Wynn
- Lac Vieux Desert Tribe, PointsBet (online sports betting only)
Michigan legalized online gaming at the end of 2019, and some observers say it will become one of the largest markets for legal online gaming in the U.S. According to the website Michigan Sharp, an analysis of Google Trends data found the state’s online sports betting launch generated more interest than any other in the past year. In addition, data from GeoComply indicates that Michigan and Virginia, which launched online gaming at the same time, accounted for a total of 7.5 million online gambling transactions across 400,000 accounts during their launches. Most of those transactions occurred in Michigan, which had 10 online operators compared to two in Virginia.
Kalm said with an 8.4 percent tax on online sports bets and above a 20 percent tax on online casino revenue, the Michigan School Aid Fund and the city of Detroit with its three commercial casinos will benefit, as well as tribes that operate casinos on their own land. “That part of the funding is good for the state of Michigan, good for the city of Detroit and good for the tribal governments that have suffered quite a bit during Covid-19 Kalm said. A portion of tax revenue also goes toward problem gambling services.
