A perfect storm of October events propelled online gambling in Michigan to nearly $500 million in wagers in a single month, falling just short of becoming the fifth state to reach that milestone. In addition, the state’s online casinos reached a new high, marking a historic month for the still-fledgling market, according to PlayMichigan, which tracks gaming developments in the state. Michigan’s online casinos and poker rooms reached a new high in October with $109.7 million in gross gaming revenue. That total is up 7.1% from $102.4 million in September, and marked the third consecutive month that online gaming has set…

The Gaming Control Board has announced that they expect online gambling in Michigan will be live by the middle of this month. The Governor signed legislation which legalized sports gambling in the state late in 2019. Online gaming, however, had to establish it’s own regulations and licensing. The legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the needed regulations last month and waived the 15-day waiting period, allowing casinos and the Gaming Control Board to go to work on the licensing process immediately. Fifteen casinos and their vendors have already been approved, including Gun Lake Casino in Wayland and the Four…

Last week, a pair of bills to regulate online gambling in Michigan were put forth. Last year, the Michigan Lawful Internet Gaming Act was vetoed at the last minute by departing Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican. Leadership has changed with the election of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat. The measure in the Senate, SB 186, is sponsored by Sen. Curtis Hertel, a Democrat. In the House, Rep. Brandt Iden, a Republican, is behind the proposal HB 4311. Iden spearheaded the legislation for the last two years. The continued bipartisan nature of the efforts is good news. In 2018, the Lawful…