Michigan Clears Another Online Sports Betting Hurdle Online Betting

Michigan Clears Another Online Sports Betting Hurdle

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 17 October 2020

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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Michigan has come a step closer to launching online sports betting and gaming after clearing yet another online sports betting hurdle. This comes after state regulators submitted a final draft of the rules for online sports betting to a committee of lawmakers in Michigan.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, which is made up of five state senators and five state representatives, has to keep the rules for a total of 15 legislative days, after which they can go to the office of the Secretary of State to be passed into law.

This 15-day period would mean that the process could be completed just before the 2020 session finishes in December. This is based on no changes being made to the existing legislative calendar and the requirement not being waived by the committee.

On Track for Early 2021

If all goes to plan, the launch of online sports betting and gaming in Michigan could be on track for the early part of 2021 or even the very late part of 2020.

It is more likely to be the former, as once approved, the Michigan Gaming Control Board would need to take time to approve online sportsbook operators. This cannot take place until the finalization of the rules has taken place.

Many retail sportsbooks have already opened in the state, and most will be ready and waiting to submit their applications for online sports betting as soon as permitted to do so. The process can take a few weeks in total, so although some officials are hoping for a launch toward the end of this year, this may be cutting things fine.

However, even if the launch is not possible until January, it will still be good timing because it will come ahead of Super Bowl LV, which takes place in early February.

It has also been reported that Spin Games, based in Las Vegas, has already been granted an internet gaming supplier license from the gaming board. An official from Spin Games said:

We are pleased to receive our Michigan provisional license, which enables us to support its soon-to-open online market with our award-winning content and versatile ROC platform.

Other betting companies have also signaled a clear intention to start offering online services in Michigan. These include FanDuel and DraftKings, which have already opened retail betting venues in the state.

Passed into Law Last Year

Online sports betting and gaming were actually approved late last year, so by the time they’re launched it will have been at least a year since they were legalized. It has taken such a long time to move toward an official launch due to the chaos caused by COVID-19, as well as the time taken to carry out the required legal processes and legislative procedures. The process of licensing operators has added even more time to the delay.

Once online sports betting does launch, many officials are hoping it will help to bring in more state revenue. In addition, many operators will be looking forward to boosting their own revenues given the increasing popularity of online sports betting and gaming across the country.

Online sports betting and gaming have rocketed in popularity over the course of the year, with many turning to digital solutions while casinos and retail sportsbooks were closed.