Michigan Online Sports Betting Is on Track to Launch Within a Month
Published December 7, 2020 by Elana K
After many delays, Michigan online sports betting is on track to launch by the end of this month. The Michigan Gaming Control Board must now review license applications to get the ball rolling.
The story of Michigan online sports betting has been a roller coaster ride, with regulators first saying that it will launch in December 2020, then saying it will launch next year, and now again saying that there’s still a chance to see sports betting go live this month.
The reason for the delay last month was due to the review of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. The committee had the option of reviewing the sports betting rules for 15 days or waiving the review process and allowing the Michigan Gaming Control Board to begin the licensing process. Last week, the committee finally waived the process, which means that sports betting is back on track to launch by the end of 2020.
Committee Chairman Senator Pete Lucido commented, “Everybody wants to get this thing going. This is something that’s long overdue at this point. It’s being done in other states. We’re losing opportunity costs.”
Michigan Online Sports Betting
Michigan had legalized land-based sports betting in March, right before COVID-19 crushed the industry. Online gambling has been taking time to get approved, but now, the Wolverine State is finally at the cusp.
Michigan is coming to the table with 15 sports betting licenses up for grabs. Online operators must team up with a land-based partner in order to be granted a license. Regulators hope that the launch of online sports betting will breathe some life back into the struggling gambling scene. Detroit casinos have been closed since mid-November in an effort to staunch the spread of COVID-19, but these closures mean that the gambling industry is suffering.
Indeed, giving the green light to online sports betting can significantly help boost industry numbers. In New Jersey, for example, October’s online sports betting revenue accounted for 94% of the state’s total. While Michigan isn’t likely to start out with numbers as high, the potential is there.
