Note to Editors: Please contact the individual casinos regarding their plans for and your access to their individual onsite betting launch events.
Detroit, March 6, 2020 – The three Detroit casinos expect to be authorized by the Michigan Gaming Control Board to conduct onsite sports wagering beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, just a few months after a public act legalizing the gaming was signed into law.
On Tuesday, March 10, the Board is anticipated to give final approval after presentations by the three commercial casinos at its 9:30 a.m. public meeting at Cadillac Place in Detroit. All preliminary requirements have been met to go live the next day.
“With just 11 weeks to prepare, MGCB staff worked hard to make the launch of onsite sports betting at the Detroit casinos possible by March Madness,” said Richard S. Kalm, MGCB executive director. “The casinos and their suppliers helped us by their timely efforts to share information we needed to authorize the gaming. This new gaming opportunity has been highly anticipated, and we hope citizens will enjoy it and see benefits from additional revenue to both the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit.”
The MGCB issued provisional licenses to suppliers who assist the casinos with onsite sports betting by providing sports betting kiosks and information among other services. The agency will continue work to issue full licenses to the suppliers in the coming months.
The MGCB will not regulate onsite sports wagering at Michigan’s tribal casinos. The tribal casinos will announce their launch of onsite sports betting individually.
MGCB staff continues to develop administrative rules for online sports betting, online casino gaming and fantasy sports. The rules should be final by early 2021, and online and mobile sports betting and gaming can begin next year after proper licenses are issued to the Michigan tribes and the Detroit commercial casinos and the firms that assist with these activities.
Today the agency also published a new information page about sports betting and online gaming on its website, https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb. The page can be accessed from a link on the site’s home page.
"The Michigan Gaming Control Board shall ensure the conduct of fair and honest gaming to protect the interests of the citizens of the State of Michigan."
