Michigan recently became the fourth member of the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, allowing residents to play online poker with players from Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. Michigan Gaming Control Board Executive Director Henry Williams, who signed the agreement, said, “By joining, Michigan will almost double the potential pool of participants in multistate poker games.”
State Senator Curtis Hertel, an early supporter of legalized online gaming, added, “Michigan poker players will enjoy more options and will likely play for bigger money when they can compete against players from other states. I am glad we were able to make this possible for Michigan poker players.”
Currently, three casino and online platform operators offer internet poker: MGM Grand Detroit and BetMGM; the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and the World Series of Poker; and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and PokerStars.
The MGCB recently released figures indicating the state’s casinos brought in $163.1 million in revenue in April, including a monthly record of $132.4 million. Sports betting totaled $30.7 million in April. As a result, the state received about $35 million in tax revenue, with $25.2 million from gambling platforms, $7.2 million from Detroit’s three casinos and $2.7 million from tribal casinos.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation allowing internet gaming in December 2019. In its first full year, online gaming generated more than $282 million in tax revenue for Michigan, with most of that total going to K-12 public schools. The funds also cover the MGCB’s operating costs, plus $2 million for the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund and $500,000 for the Compulsive Gaming Prevention Fund.
