Michigan Gambling Guide: BetMichigan.com Expert Reviews for 2025

Michigan Gambling Guides

Legal Forms of Gambling in Michigan

There are several forms of legal gambling in Michigan, regulated by state laws and overseen by the Michigan Gaming Control Board and Michigan Lottery. Here is a comprehensive list of legal forms of gambling in MI.  

• Casino Gambling Michigan has two types of casinos: commercial casinos and tribal casinos, both offering slot machines, table games, poker and more. Commercial casinos in the Great Lake State are located only in Detroit while tribal casinos can be found across the state. Regardless of the casino that you plan to enter, you must be at least 21 years old to play at both. Michigan has three state-licensed commercial casinos, located specifically in Detroit: MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown. These casinos are large-scale, offering thousands of slot machines, plenty of table games, hotels and retail sportsbooks. There are 22 tribal casinos operated by 12 federally recognized tribes throughout Michigan. These also offer slots, table games, poker and hotels, while some offer sportsbooks. Tribal casinos operate under federal law and gaming compacts with the state.
• Online Casinos Online casinos in Michigan were legalized in 2019. In fact, Michigan has one of the largest iGaming markets in the US featuring 15 online casinos offering slots, blackjack, roulette, poker and several other online games. Online casino operators must be licensed by the MGCB and players must be at least 21 years old and physically located within state lines.
• Sports Betting Sports betting went live in 2020 with retail and online sports betting available, giving sports bettors the ability to wager on sports in person or on the go. And there's a lot to go around with plenty of Michigan sportsbooks to choose from. Having launched in January 2021, Michigan has one of the largest online sports betting markets in the US with more than $5 billion in wagers from 12 operators last year. In-person sports betting is legal at commercial and tribal casinos, having gone live in March 2020. The hype over retail sports betting is the entertainment value, where you can place bets in person and then watch those games on a video wall and multiple TVs with the ability to play casino games and order food and drink.
• Horse Racing Horse racing has been legal since the Racing Act of 1933, with pari-mutuel wagering on live and simulcast horse races. Online pari-mutuel wagering is also allowed under the Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2019, which expanded legal online forms of gambling, including betting on horse races, in Michigan.
• Lottery The Michigan Lottery offers online tickets, instant games and draw-based games, all of which contribute significantly to state revenue. You must be at least 18 years old to play the lottery in the Great Lake State. The state lottery became legal in 1972 but the online sale of lottery tickets became legal in 2014, allowing the convenience of purchasing and checking tickets whenever, wherever.
• Poker While you can find poker at each of the state's three casinos, you can also play online poker in Michigan under the same Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2019. You can find plenty of places to play poker online through licensed platforms here.
• Daily Fantasy Sports Daily Fantasy Sports contests were made legal in 2019 under the Fantasy Contests Consumer Protection Act, allowing platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel to operate legally. You need to be at least 18 years old to play DFS in Michigan.

Michigan Gambling Laws

Gambling in Michigan first went live in 1933 when horse racing was legalized. Since then, Michigan gambling has exponentially expanded to include the likes of land-based and online casinos, retail and mobile sports betting, lottery and daily fantasy sports. 

Nearly every form of gambling in Michigan is regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), and every operator is licensed and approved by the gambling laws set by that regulator. 

Who Can Participate in Gambling in Michigan?

To legally participate in gambling in Michigan, you must meet the following requirements:

• Must be of legal gambling age (18+ for horse racing, lottery and DFS; 21+ for online and retail casinos and sports betting)
• Physically located within Michigan state lines
• Non-residents can also participate while physically present in the state

Licensing and Regulation

The Michigan Gaming Control Board oversees a rigorous licensing and vetting process for gaming and non-gaming suppliers, casino employees, and operators to ensure fair and honest gambling in Michigan. 

Gambling Taxes in Michigan

Gambling winnings are taxed at 4.25% in Michigan. Players must track figures themselves for tax returns, as gambling operators will not send players a W-2G for gambling winnings. 

Revenue generated from gambling in Michigan including casinos, online gambling and sports betting goes primarily toward the School Aid Fund, which supports K-12 public education. 

You can learn more about these taxes on our Michigan gambling winnings tax calculator page. 

Michigan Gambling Legislation Timeline

Here you'll find the full history of legalized gambling in the Great Lake State. 

• 📆 2021: Michigan launches online and mobile sports betting, online casinos and online poker sites. 
• 📆 2020: The first retail retail sportsbooks open in the state after Detroit's three casinos open in-person betting facilities. 
• 📆 2019: A package of bills is passed legalizing online casinos, sports betting, daily fantasy sports and online poker. 
• 📆 2014: iLottery launches in Michigan, allowing lottery players to buy instant keno and scratch-off games online. 
• 📆 2000: Greektown Casino Hotel opens in Detroit. 
• 📆 1999: MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino Hotel open in Detroit.
• 📆 1997: The Michigan Gaming Control & Revenue Act passes, authorizing the operation of three commercial casinos in Detroit. 
• 📆 1996: Michigan voters approve Proposal E, which authorizes the construction of three commercial casinos in Detroit.
• 📆 1993: The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe becomes for the first tribe to sign a gaming compact with the state. Per the compact, the tribe agrees to pay 2% of gross revenue earned from Soaring Eagle Casino & resort. 
• 📆 1984: The first tribal-owned casino opens not only in Michigan, but in the entire country following the opening of the Bay Mills Indian Band's Kings Club Casino. 
• 📆 1972: Michigan voters approve a constitutional amendment to create a state lottery. 
• 📆 1933: The Racing Act of 1933 is signed, authorizing pari-mutuel horse racing in Michigan. 

Start Gambling in Michigan Today

You're ready to start gambling in Michigan! With plenty of options available for in-person and online, there's a lot to go around if you're looking to gamble in the Great Lake State. 

Make sure to read BetMichigan.com's complete gambling overview for any information you may need on every form of legal gambling in the state, including how to do so, age requirements and specific terms and conditions.