- Online interstate poker is one step closer after winning the vote of the Senate which leaves the House approval and the signature from the governor left.
- The signing of the bill and the launching of other online gambling sites in the state are expected to happen in November.
- There are hurdles that interstate poker will have to overcome to officially launch such as Wire Act concerns and what online poker operator will be used by the state.
DETROIT - Michigan online interstate poker is one step closer to launching in the state after the bill passed the Senate floor vote on Wednesday.
Senate Bill 991, which is a simple bill that will allow for the possibility of interstate poker, won the Senate vote by a margin of 36-1 and now only needs to be passed by the state’s House of Representatives and Governor Gretchen Whitmer to become a law.
This bill amended the 2019 Lawful Internet Gaming Act (LIGA) by adding a clause that permits the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) to enter into compacts for tribal gaming authorities and online poker with regulations.
Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. is the sponsor of the bill and he has stated that he expects things to go smoothly once it goes to the House but also believes the vote will not come until mid to late November.
The timeline for Michigan to get USA online gambling options such as online casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms is set for around the same time Sen. Hertel’s estimates this bill will be signed by the governor.
There is no guarantee at the moment that players will be able to play against other gamblers in other states once it is approved. Interstate poker will have to deal with issues from the federal Wire Act that may be a big hindrance.
There are still uncertainties on which operators will launch their platform in Michigan and be able to offer interstate poker. The most probable operator is WSOP.com which is a poker site that is live in Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada and offers such services.
Those looking into online gambling in Michigan should expect it to take a while to get everything in place for interstate online poker bur right now the next step is getting the House approval.