The states of Michigan and Tennessee both recently moved closer to online and mobile sports betting to go live in the coming weeks.
Richard S. Kalm, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board said online gambling and sports betting could go live by late fall, a timeline moved up as brick-and-mortar casinos continue to operate at reduced capacity. Kalm over saw a public hearing in September to discuss proposed rules for Internet gaming and sports betting.
The final proposed laws are expected to be submitted to the Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules and the Legislative Service Bureau by the end of October, after which the state legislature will vote on the rules.
Detroit’s three casinos and a few tribal properties launched retail sportsbooks just before the Covid-19 shutdowns in March. Originally, online wagering was to be added next year.
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, a government panel conditionally approved licenses for the first three sportsbook operators under Tennessee’s online-only sports betting program, which is expected to begin allowing wagers on November 1.
FanDuel, BetMGM and DraftKings were approved by the Tennessee Lottery’s Sports Wagering Committee to launch wagering. The panel also approved companies to play various other roles in Tennessee’s sports betting market.
There is no limit on the number of sportsbook operators in Tennessee, as long as they meet the state’s requirements. The lottery is regulating sports betting in the state.
Shortly after its conditional approval, BetMGM announced a deal to be the official sports betting partner of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. The agreement, which includes visibility across the team’s various digital platforms and during key in-game moments, such as field goal attempts and video board replays, is the first partnership between a professional sports team from Tennessee and a sports betting operator.
