Legal sports betting was approved by Michigan lawmakers back in 2019, with in-person sportsbooks opening their doors for business in March of 2020.
Shortly after, the onset of COVID-19 across the United States forced non-essential businesses like casinos and sportsbooks to close down their operations until safer guidelines for avoiding the contagion could be developed and implemented.
MI was no different, and their sports betting locations were forced to shut down just days after opening.
This caused the Michigan legislature to rush their regulations for mobile sportsbook apps into place for many reasons.
Sports betting laws were enacted to capture additional tax dollars, and with brick-and-mortar venues shuttered for the foreseeable future, that revenue flow was cut off at the ankles just days after debuting.
Online sports betting in Michigan was not a priority initially, but the coronavirus and its refusal to stand down has created a do or die scenario in the Great Lake State.
It’s better late than never for Michigan sports betting patrons because the January rollout of mobile sportsbook apps was timely a timely one, as it occurred weeks prior to Super Bowl 55 on February 7.
Being the single most-watched sporting event each year, betting on the Super Bowl draws in more action at sportsbooks, both domestic and international, than any other single game on the calendar.
The big game represents the peak of sports betting annually, and with in-person Detroit sportsbooks unable to take action, these new mobile betting apps will extend a lifeline to Michigan gamblers and reignite the profit stream for state tax collectors.
Domestic Betting Apps Now Available In Michigan
- FanDuel
- FOX Bet
- BetMGM
- Penn National Gaming
- DraftKings
- Barstool Sportsbook
- BetRivers
- William Hill
- PointsBet
- Golden Nugget
FOX Bet is the latest domestic sportsbook to join in on the fun in Michigan, releasing its online sports betting application last Friday.
One perk of FOX’s new betting app is that one deposit will allow for bets to be placed across three of their online gaming venues – sports betting, online poker, or real money casino games, including blackjack, slots, craps, roulette, and more.
What makes FOX Bet’s mobile app so convenient is that one digital wallet can be used across their three different platforms, removing the need to make separate deposits to play separate games of chance.
“Behind FOX Bet Sportsbook, PokerStars and Stars Casino, customers create one account for all three apps, unlocking a wide variety of exciting and entertaining options to supercharge the experience for our Michigan audience.”
– Kip Levin, FOX Bet CEO
Michigan now features fertile soil for gambling of all varieties, be it sports betting, casino gambling, or cash games of poker. MI also features these games across all mediums, including mobile and in-person, although it is anyone’s guess as to when physical locations will open again.
International sports betting sites are also in-play in MI and have been accepting bets on major sports in the area all along. The real winners are the regional sports bettors and gamblers that now have all major options available to them, including in-person once COVID-19 subsides.
Source: Fox Business
