- The Michigan Gaming Control Board is moving to launch online gambling and sports betting in early 2021.
- The Michigan Senate and House of Representatives have waved the 15-session day waiting period for approval.
- Operators are still required to earn final licensing approval.
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan gamblers will soon be able to partake in casino gambling and legal sports betting while on the go.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has plans to launch online gambling in Michigan in early 2021. The Michigan Senate and House of Representatives have waived the 15-session day waiting period usually required.
Still, gambling operators are required to gain the final approval for gambling licensing, this must be done following the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) meeting.
Michigan Online Gambling Incoming
The waving of the 15-session day waiting period is to avoid a delay that would prevent online gambling from launching until after the Super Bowl. Michigan would like to have (* online sports betting https://www.usaonlinegambling.com/sports-betting/ *) live in time for the Big Game.
With the waivers, online sports betting and online casino gaming will potentially be live as early as January, or at least that is the optimism from the MGCB.
“The whole thing is going to be really dependent on the paperwork they’re submitting,” said Richard Kalm, executive director of the MGCB. “We’re going to give them provisional licenses as soon as we get all the paperwork and then finish our background investigations, and also the platforms that are required to submit their software and testing labs to make sure they comply with all of our requirements. So that’s gonna take a little bit of time to get that done. They’re all gonna have to go through with their fine-tooth comb and make sure they’re in compliance. Otherwise, we can’t license them. With the waive of the rules, I thought we were four weeks out, but we just sent out earlier this week -- the same day as the JCAR (meeting) -- an inquiry to the platform providers’ operators to give us how ready they are to go and what they’re going to have done. So we might be having to push that back, because we’re now looking at probably six weeks.”
With the launch, major USA online gambling operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel will be able to operate in the Great Lakes State.
Although there is no official launch date announced as of yet, the JCAR meeting will be held Tuesday. Following the meeting, online operators will be able to file for final approval of online gambling licensing.