Michigan Could Launch Online Gaming Before 2020 is Over

Michgian online sports betting has been a roller coaster to follow since it originally passed in December 2019. The launch date has continuously been pushed back, but it all hasn’t been to lawmakers being slow. The coronavirus has not helped the situation as the state needed to deal with the pandemic before launching sports betting.

Now, the state’s original plan was to launch online gaming by the end of 2020. However, that was pushed back to early 2021, around the Super Bowl, when experts believed that sports betting and online gaming would officially go live.

Now, there is a possibility that the Great Lake State could see online sports betting come to Michigan before the year is over. However, some final hurdles need to take place before the dream becomes a reality. This week will be one of the most important weeks for online sports betting and gaming.

The Hurdles

The Joint Committee has held up Michigan sports betting on Administrative Rules. The committee is currently in a 15-day review of sports betting and online gaming regulations. However, the committee can waive the 15-day period to begin processing licenses in the state so the Michigan Gaming Control Board can begin processing licenses.

There is no guarantee that the waiver will be approved, unfortunately. The bipartisan rules committee has been stingy in the process and might make Michigan residents wait until 2021 to begin online betting.

COVID-19 has been a huge thorn in Michigan’s side trying to get rules passed in the state. The virus has limited time to overview sports betting laws and regulations, which is why the process has been dragged out for nearly a year. Once the rules are approved, then the MGCB can finally begin the final process for sports betting to go live. Online gaming is on the one-yard line, and lawmakers need to finish the job before the year is out.

What Will Michigan Sports Betting Look Like?

Michigan should become a huge sports betting and online casino industry once online gaming is live. Experts project the state to see $4 billion to $6 billion in revenue once the state’s market matures.

The meeting this Tuesday will help get a better idea of what the Michigan gaming market could look like. Overall, it seems that the rules and regulations in place are going through a final draft, but you never know if one or two of the rules change and alter what the online gaming landscape looks like.

Sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM are chomping at the bit for Michigan online betting to launch. All three sportsbooks and others like Penn National are already operating in the state but would like to see online sports betting and gaming up and running very soon.

There are 23 tribal casinos and three commercial casinos currently in the state that sportsbook could capitalize on. Along with multiple cities with over 100,000 residents, having the 10th largest population among U.S. states, Michigan looks like it will be a great sports betting state.

This week is a crucial week for the future of Michigan sports betting.