Gambling in Michigan dates back almost a century when the first horse races were legalized in 1933. Since then, the Wolverine State has expanded its gambling landscape considerably. It’s now home to 26 fully-licensed casinos which collectively operate more than 30,000 slot machines and hundreds of exciting table games that people from all over the US come to partake in each and every year. Other than three commercial casinos located in Detroit, all the other gambling establishments you’ll find in Michigan are tribal-owned.
Even though all online gambling is now legal, state lawmakers have been notorious for banning all forms of gambling, only to reinstate them a few months later. This hot and cold attitude has been a big inconvenience for many gambling operators, but thankfully, the state hasn’t made any recent or further U-turns on the legislation. As a result, Michigan is now one of the most popular gambling hotspots in the country.
Michigan Gambling Laws
Michigan has an extensive description of what constitutes illegal gambling, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll just highlight the information as to what the state considers unlawful gambling, which is defined as “accepting money or a valuable thing contingent upon result of a game, race, contest, or happening of uncertain event.”
This means that playing at offshore casino sites is particularly risky. Michigan’s criminal code also states that it is a class A misdemeanor for anyone caught gambling and winning more than $50. As punishment, they could be handed a 1-year jail sentence and a fine of up to $1,000 in accordance with the felony charges for other states. The strangest bit about this clause is the fact that if you happen to lose while you’re gambling, this is perfectly ok and you aren’t considered a criminal.
The legal age for gambling in Michigan is 18 for betting on lotteries and horse racing and 21 to play at both land-based and online casinos. All gambling is overseen by the Michigan Gaming Control Board and is covered by the Michigan Penal Code.
Online gambling and sports betting has been legal in the state since 2020, but only Michigan land-based casinos are legally allowed to operate online sites, subject to holding a state-granted license. There are currently 20 in the state, offering everything from daily fantasy sports to casino games and online poker rooms. With all these gambling options widely available, it’s no surprise that millions of players flock to the Great Lake State every year.
Deposit Options at Michigan Gambling Sites
Players have a wide range of easy and convenient deposit options available at Michigan gambling sites. Online casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms all accept major debit and credit cards, prepaid cards, PayPal, Neteller and other e-wallets, bank transfers, and ACH/eCheck. There are also plenty of withdrawal options that players can choose from, which are just as speedy and efficient for receiving your winnings.
Some withdrawal methods do take longer than others, and depending on your bank service provider, there may be a charge for transactions. However, none of the casinos in Michigan charge for making deposits or withdrawals, and the very longest you’ll have to wait to receive your winnings is 5-10 working days.
All players can take comfort in knowing that their finances are safe and secure when they play at licensed Michigan casinos. Offshore gambling sites are not recommended because they are not secure or regulated by an official gambling authority.
Michigan Casinos
As already mentioned, there are 26 brick-and-mortar casinos in Michigan, most of which are tribal-operated and located on Native American lands. The remaining casinos; MGM Grand, Greektown Casino and the MotorCity Casino Hotel are all located in Detroit. The Michigan Gaming Control Board gave the state permission to build these commercial venues in the year 1996, and even though tribal casinos outnumber all three, they all collectively generate millions of dollars in revenue for the local economy every year.
The largest venues in Michigan are the MGM Grand, the Soaring Eagle Casino & Hotel. Greektown Casino, Fourwinds Resort & Casino, Firekeepers Casino, and MotorCity Casino. The operators must adhere to the same taxation laws as online gambling operators, which means they will only ever report and deduct 30% off your casino winnings if they exceed $5,000.
Michigan Poker
Michigan is a poker players’ paradise as the state is home to 30 live poker rooms with a packed schedule of tournaments that go on throughout every month. While the majority of these poker houses are in Detroit, you’ll also find regular hostings in the upper and lower regions of the state.
Thanks to the passing of bill HB4926 in 2019, online poker is also legal in the state. Players can only play at state-regulated sites that are licensed under the Michigan Gaming Control Board. All of the legal sites offer players some great bonuses and generous rewards when they create a new player account and play for real money.
Michigan Sports Betting
Sports betting became legal in Michigan in 2019 after the state legalized all forms of iGaming. MGM Grand, Greektown Casino, and MotorCity Casino were the three casinos to accept the first sports wagers in 2020, but after the first wave of Covid hit the US and caused many businesses to close their doors for the next few months, the sports betting hype was short-lived.
In January 2021, after rules were relaxed and events were up and running again, the state granted additional licenses for online operators to get a piece of the pie. Big market names like FanDuel, DraftKings, TwinSpires, BetRivers, and BetMGM, all successfully managed to secure licenses and soon put Michigan on a par with New Jersey and neighbouring Pennsylvania.
There are now more than a dozen online sportsbooks operating in Michigan, and all of the state’s 26 land-based casinos can also operate sportsbooks on site. Punters must be at least 21 to place wagers at both retail sportsbooks and online.
Michigan Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports was also legalized under bill HB 4308 after the lawmakers had long discussions surrounding the rules and how to protect consumers. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill at the tail end of 2019, and the Michigan Gaming Control Board granted licenses to DFS sites temporarily after a tax rate of 8.4% was agreed between the state and the operators.
In the first year of legalization, daily fantasy sports generated over $14.7 million in revenue for the state, most of which was thanks to DraftKings and FanDuel which collectively hold onto about 60% of the market.
Michigan Lotteries
The Michigan Lottery has been in full swing since 1972 and it’s one of a handful of states that’s permitted to sell tickets online. Apart from traditional games like Mega Millions, Powerball, and Daily 4, Michigan residents can also play the state lottery which generated $4.2 billion in ticket sales in 2020 alone.
More than 11,000 businesses and retailers benefit from commissions earned through selling lottery tickets. In the last decade, a total of $2.2 billion has been paid out to these businesses, and 61% of lottery sales go back to the players as prizes. The state lottery also contributes almost $2 billion a year to schools and other local projects.
Michigan Esports
At current, Esports betting is only available at selected sites, tribal casinos, and retail providers in Michigan. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) authorizes and regulates all sites permitted to offer eSports including popular sports betting and DFS sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Some of the games available to wager on include Call of Duty, Counterstrike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Rocket League, and eNASCAR.
Michigan Bingo
Bingo is considered a charitable game in Michigan and it’s highly popular. It’s the only legal option available to people who want to organize events to raise funds for charity purposes besides raffles. Any commercial-style games of bingo played at non-licensed sites that are designed for profit are illegal, and players who play bingo at offshore sites are putting themselves at risk.
Other Forms of Gambling Available
Horse racing is one of the most popular gambling activities in Michigan. Wagering on pari-mutuel races has been legal since 1933, and up until the 1970s, it was the only form of gambling permitted in the state. Since online gambling was legalized in 2020, online horse racing also comes under the new legislative bill and people can place a variety of different wagers at various licensed sportsbooks.
Even though attendance at horse racing events is still high, online and mobile wagers have taken over since it was legalized. Sites like TwinSpires, Xpressbet, and TVG are the most popular sites to place bets, which all offer sign up bonuses to newly-registered players. These sites live stream all of the action directly to your device and cover the action of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and the Breeder’s Cup.
Land-Based Casinos in Michigan
As mentioned, Michigan is home to almost two dozen Native American casinos and three state-licensed commercial casinos; Greektown Casino, MGM Grand, and MotorCity. Each of the tribal-owned venues is operated by one of the twelve federally-recognized Native American tribes, which are spread out throughout the state. All of the establishments offer everything from card and dice games like poker, craps, blackjack, roulette and baccarat, along with live tournaments and hundreds of the latest and hottest slot machines.
In Detroit especially, gambling is highly prevalent and has made Michigan become one of the most popular gambling destinations on earth. Take a look through the state’s top casino picks below to help you plan a visit to the Great Lakes State. In every venue, you can enjoy a full range of great casino games, dining, and entertainment options.
MGM Grand
Situated in the Detroit-Windsor area, the MGM Grand is one of the three licensed casinos in the state that’s just as decadent and wonderful as its sister casino resort in Las Vegas. Valued at a whopping $800 million, this casino was completely refurbished in 2007 and is now one of the most popular go-to casinos in the state.
The 100,000-square-foot gaming floor holds over 4,000 slot machines and video poker terminals, and close to 150 table games where players can find an arsenal of different and exciting variants.
The casino is also attached to a 401-room hotel which has earned an AAA Four Diamond award. There is also a spa and wellness centre with a swimming pool and sauna, plus multiple restaurants cooking up world cuisines by award-winning chefs.
There are endless sources of entertainment and amusement features where visitors can catch weekly live performances, shows, concerts, and more within the casino’s 1,200-seated conference and meeting centre.
If you need any more convincing about how exceptional this casino is, the Forbes Travel Guide voted it an impressive 4 stars!.
MotorCity Casino Hotel
Another casino located in the Detroit-Windsor area is MGM’s biggest competitor, MotorCity Casino. The $825 million-dollar complex was constructed just before the millennium and was a baking factory before it became the grand epitome of luxury it is today. The casino consists of a 100,000-square-foot gaming floor complete with 2,800 video slot machines, 2 poker rooms, and 60 table games.
The hotel itself accommodates 400 beautifully-decorated rooms and houses a spa and wellness facility spanning over 13,000-square-feet, a 70,000-square-foot meeting and conference centre, a 2,400-seated theatre hosting live music and concerts regularly, and multiple restaurants and dining options.
Like the MGM, the hotel has won the AAA Four Diamond award and continues to be one of Michigan’s most prized and sought-after venues.
Soaring Eagle Casino
Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort is located in Michigan’s Mount Pleasant. The establishment offers a wide selection of classic table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and tri-card poker and is owned and operated by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Nation.
On the casino floor, players will find thousands of state-of-the-art slot machines and video poker terminals, an 18-table poker room hosting games of Texas Hold ‘Em, 7-card stud, Omaha hi-lo, and more. These rooms also host weekly card tournaments, and players can find even more slot games, plus keno, bingo, and other specialty games in the Soaring Eagle’s add-on venue across the street named “Slots Palace”.
The resort part of the complex houses four top-level restaurants, a huge pool with a sound system, along with an amphitheatre and concert hall that hosts major shows and seats up to 3,285 people.
Four Winds Casino Hotel
Situated on the banks of Lake Michigan, Four Winds Casino and Hotel is one of three casinos owned by the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi Native Americans. The gaming floor spans 125,000-square-feet and features 2,600 video slot machines and 48 table games consisting of roulette, blackjack, craps, Let It Ride, Mississippi Stud, baccarat, 3 Card Poker, and Pai Gow Plus. The casino also features an electronic craps table that offers fast-paced gameplay and speedy payouts.
Little River Casino Resort
Little River is owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. It’s situated on the banks of Lake Michigan, and despite the name, the venue is far from little. Featuring a 292-room decadent hotel, numerous high-quality eateries, and a spa and wellness centre, Little River Casino Resort is the ultimate place to indulge, relax and unwind.
The venue also has a live entertainment centre that brings in some of the world’s most prestigious music acts and live shows, while the 23,000-square-foot casino floor features over 1,300 slot machines, dozens of exciting table games including roulette, craps, baccarat, blackjack, 3 Card Poker, UltimateTexas Hold’em, Crazy 4 Poker, and Let it Ride.
You can also order cocktails directly to your table, so you don’t even have to abandon your seat to knock one back and have a good time!
Firekeepers Casino Hotel
Firekeeper’s Casino Hotel is another stylish, tribal-owned casino located in Battle Creek, Michigan. The establishment is operated by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and is home to a 112,000 square foot gaming floor with hundreds of video slot machines, 70 different fun and exciting table game variants like blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker, plus a bingo room and single live poker room where frequent tournaments are held. There is also a live sportsbook within the venue.
Like MGM and MotorCity, the Firekeeper’s hotel oozes excellence and it’s won a AAA Four Diamond award for its comfort and luxurious interior. Visitors will find plenty of places to eat, including casual and fine dining options, plus a huge conference and meeting space that regularly sees famous musicians, singers, bands, live acts, and comedians dazzle crowds regularly.
The Firekeeper’s casino also runs an online casino in partnership with Scientific Games Corp. Here, players can sign up and get their hands on lucrative bonus deals and enjoy the same fantastic games collections without even needing to visit the venue itself.