In Michigan, Is Online Gambling Illegal?
No, online gambling is not illegal in Michigan.
Now, you can gamble online in Michigan! Governor Whitmer signed the Lawful Internet Gaming act into law in late 2019, which allows for online gambling (casinos included) to operate in the state. Tax revenue from Michigan online casinos will help assist the state’s first responders.
Real Online Casino Michigan List
- Golden Nugget Online Casino
- FanDuel Online Casino
- BetMGM Online Casino
- DraftKings Online Casino
- WynnBet Online Casino
- William Hill Casino
Do You Have To Live In Michigan To Bet Online?
No, you do not have to be a resident of Michigan to bet online. You simply have to physically be within the state border to be able to bet. Michigan real money online casinos will direct you to turn the location on your phone or if you’re playing on a desktop or laptop, installing a geocomply plugin to verify your current location.
Are Real Online Casinos Michigan Legit?
Yes, Michigan online casinos are legit. Now that Governor Whitmer has signed the Lawful Internet Gaming Act into law, it has paved the way for legal gambling in the state. Any online casino that opens in the state and complies with the regulations set forth by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is considered a legitimate casino.
Can I Win Real Money?
Yes, you can win real money at legal gambling sites in Michigan! If you wager cash at slots or table games or make use of many of the Michigan online casino no deposit bonuses we list at BonusSeeker, you give yourself the chance to win and withdraw real money.
Why Play At A Gambling Site Vs. A Land-Based Casino?
While some do prefer the in-person aspect of gambling at casinos, more and more players are taking advantage of the convenience and perks of playing at online casinos.
Being able to play anywhere in your house, anywhere on the go, basically anywhere as long as it’s in the confines of the state is great! Some great perks that go beyond what you’d expect at a land-based casino include:
- No deposit bonuses
- First deposit bonuses
- Daily and weekly promotions
- Entertaining gameplay with great graphics
- Easy control over deposits and withdrawals
- More deposit and withdrawal options
- Play anywhere in the state
- Exciting VIP rewards in-person casinos don’t offer
So while the biggest perk is the ability to take your online casino anywhere you want to go in Michigan, there are so many other perks in comparison to land-based casinos that make online gambling so popular.
How Do Signup Offers Work?
BonusSeeker gives you detailed instructions on how to take advantage of signup offers like first deposit bonuses for each Michigan online casino. In general, signup offers work as follows:
- Find the online casino you’d like to sign up for through BonusSeeker.
- Look for our description of the bonus offers and click where we say to sign up.
- Clicking the link will send you to the casino, where you can sign up with your personal information. If we tell you to use a specific code, make sure to enter it when you register.
- You may need to complete the KYC (Know Your Customer) Procedures if asked in order to unlock signup bonuses.
- If there is a first deposit bonus, you need to follow our directions to get the proper deposit match.
Be sure to read the terms and conditions of every signup offer on the online casino site to know what you need to do to qualify and to satisfy the wagering requirements.
Types Of Online Casino Signup Offers
First Deposit Offer
A first deposit offer at a betting site is usually given as a percentage deposit match, up to a certain amount of bonus money. For example, you can get a 100 percent match on your initial deposit, up to $500. Usually, these bonuses come with a wagering requirement, which is the amount you need to wager before funds are eligible for withdrawal. This is the most common and easiest way to score bonus money to use anywhere on the site.
No Deposit Offer
Who doesn’t want to get free bonus money simply for signing up? Certain operators through BonusSeeker will give you a bonus to use anywhere on the site. The average is usually around $30 in bonus money, and this money is subject to the bonus wagering requirement.
Risk-Free Play
One new way lots of casinos reward new customers is by offering risk-free play for the first 24 hours of your membership. Any net losses within the first 24 hours are covered up to $200. So if you deposit and bet with real money within the time frame and you lose money, they’ll reimburse you to cover some or all of your losses (depending on how much you lose).
How To Sign Up To An Online Casino?
When you find a Michigan online casino on BonusSeeker that you’d like to sign up for and claim those great bonuses, follow these steps to register and claim your bonuses.
- Click BonusSeeker’s signup link or “Get Bonus” link depending on where you are on our site
- You’ll be directed to the online casino, which will bring up a registration page
- Fill out the registration page in full, including your name, address, email, and any other Know Your Customer request they have
- If there is space to enter a bonus code, be sure to enter whatever code BonusSeeker recommends for that site to ensure you get the proper bonuses
- If you need to take advantage of a first deposit bonus, make the qualifying deposit according to the bonus terms and condition
How To Deposit At An Online Casino
To take advantage of a Michigan online casino’s first deposit bonus, you have to make a deposit. Simple enough! Just follow these steps to deposit:
- After signing up through us, head over to the cashier section of your casino. Sometimes it’s also under the “Account” section
- Click or tap the deposit section to begin the process
- You’ll be given the various deposit options to choose from, including online bank transfer, credit card, PayPal, and others
- Select which deposit method you’d like to use and it will ask you for the information to trigger a fund transfer
- Be sure to use any Bonus Code we give you with the first deposit to get your applicable bonus
- Depending on the type of bonus, you can receive your bonus immediately or within hours
- Your funds should be deposited right away into your account unless they tell you it will take longer
How To Withdraw From An Online Casino
Withdrawing is just as easy as depositing and is usually done the same way you made a deposit. Some casinos in Michigan do allow you to deposit and withdraw as you see fit, so check the terms and conditions to see the operator’s specific rules
- Go to the cashier section of your account to begin the withdrawal
- Select withdraw funds or something similar depending on the site and you’ll be given a list of withdrawal methods to choose from
- Withdrawals from Michigan online casinos usually don’t have fees associated with it but check to make sure you know any fees that could come with your withdrawal
- Depending on what method you choose, your withdrawal can take anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. Some, like getting a check by mail, can take up to three weeks
Online Casino Payment Options
There are many payment options in Michigan to fund your gambling account or withdraw your winnings back to your account. Here are some of the more common methods you can use.
Credit Cards
You can use credit cards to deposit to your account, but most sites won’t let you withdraw to a credit card. Visa and MasterCard are the most common credit cards accepted at online gambling sites, but overall, you can find the following cards available for deposits:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- American Express
- Discover
There are no fees associated with your deposit levied by the online gambling site but check with your credit card to see if there are any fees associated with using it for an online casino before you decide to use it. Deposits via credit cards are usually credited to your account instantly.
Debit Cards
Debit cards in this instance are used the same way as you would use a credit card. Online casinos don’t charge a fee to use them but check with the issuing bank to see if they charge fees for deposits via debit cards. Visa and Mastercard debit cards are the ones most commonly accepted. Much like credit cards, you cannot withdraw to a debit card. Deposits via debit cards are usually credited to your account instantly.
Play Plus Account
Using a Play Plus card, also known as a Play + card, gives you an easy way to deposit and withdraw at casinos. You can also use it anywhere Discover cards are accepted. You can manage your Play + card online to fund it or transfer funds from it. It’s one of the only methods that give you deposits and withdrawals immediately.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards are an easy way to control the amount going in and going out since you have to fund it through your bank account. Set the limit you want and then use the prepaid card much like you would a Visa or Mastercard. You can also withdraw from your gambling account to the card. Both will take place within 24 hours of your request.
PayPal
PayPal is still one of the most popular online payment processors in the world, and they’re a great fit for funding Michigan casinos. Deposits from your PayPal account to your online gambling site account usually happens immediately. You can only withdraw to your PayPal account if you have made a deposit previously unless otherwise specified. Withdrawals can happen within an hour up to 24 hours.
Skrill
Skrill gives you another way to send and receive money through an intermediary without entering your banking information. You can fund your Skrill account with a credit or debit card, an online bank transfer, or even by check. When you use Skrill on a casino, your deposit is usually immediate. Withdrawals usually take 24 hours and can only happen if you’ve deposited via Skrill within the previous six months.
PayNearMe
If you want to use cash to deposit at a casino, one great option is PayNearMe. You initiate a deposit first on the gambling site and you’ll get a payslip to take to 7-Eleven. Hand it to the cashier along with the cash to cover it and it will initiate the deposit online. The funds should show up in your account within 15 minutes. You cannot use PayNearMe to withdraw funds, as it only supports deposits.
ACH
An ACH transfer allows you to deposit funds into your gambling account via your bank account. Fees are not charged by the online casino to use ACH transfers but check with your bank to know any fees they have tied to ACH transfers. Deposits and withdrawals via ACH are usually completed within 1-24 hours.
Check
While deposits via check aren’t usually available at online casinos in Michigan, you can withdraw at most of them via check by mail. However, this is the slowest withdrawal type out of all the methods, with checks being received between one and three weeks depending on processing time. There are no fees usually associated with a check by mail.
Cash At The Casino Cage
Are you heading to a land-based casino that is partnered with your online casino? Then you can use their casino cage to fund your online casino and withdraw your winnings too. Head to the casino cage with your gambling site credentials and you can use cash to fund it. You can also use the credentials to withdraw in cash as well.
Are There MI Mobile Apps?
Yes, there are Michigan online casino apps and they give you the flexibility to play via your mobile device anywhere in the state. Most casino apps deliver as close to the same experience on your mobile device as that casino gives you on a desktop, and in some cases, even a better experience for the player. Read more about Michigan casino apps, their benefits, and how to download them to your mobile device.
Online Casino Games
Online casinos in Michigan have many different types of games for you to play for real money. You will find slots at every casino site and will also come across table games, video poker games, bingo, and even Live Dealer games.
Slots
Online slot games are easily the most popular games to play at casinos, which is why most site libraries are stocked with hundreds of them. In addition to having many ways to win on every spin, often you’ll find progressive jackpots tied into the games. This gives you a chance at a huge five-figure, six-figure jackpot while playing these games. Sometimes you’ll even see jackpots over $1 million!
Some examples of the most popular online slots you’ll find are:
- Divine Fortune
- Loot’En Khanum
- 88 Fortunes
- Starburst
- Mercy Of The Gods
Table Games
Table games are just that: games you would normally walk up to in a casino and play at a table, such as Blackjack and Roulette. The casino games replicate the casino experience well with table games, although the Live Dealer games do it even better, which we’ll explain later on.
Examples of table games you’ll be able to play at MI casinos include:
- Blackjack: The classic “21” table game where you’re dealt cards against the dealer. The object is to have a higher count than the dealer’s hands without exceeding 21.
- Roulette: A table game where at its simplest, you bet on which numbered space on a spinning wheel a small ball will land in.
- Craps: A dice game where players bet on the outcome of the roll of a pair of dice.
- Baccarat: A game of chance that compares your cards between the player and the banker to determine a winner.
- Hold’em (table game version): A card game similar to poker that compares your cards to the dealer’s cards to determine who wins, then paid out by the type of card hand you can make.
Video Poker
Video poker is a video game version of the most common table games. Most of these are centered around poker, including Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, and Jacks Or Better.
Bingo
Bingo is a game of chance as you mark numbered squares on a card according to the numbers drawn at random during each round. You win if you cover five squares in a row depending on the type of game played. Not every casino has Bingo, but sites like Virgin Online Casino have a variation of it such as 90 Ball Bingo.
Live Dealer
Live Dealer online casino games are getting more popular because they give people who are used to going to casinos in person for their gambling a chance to replicate that experience at home. While people may think there’s a big difference between regular online casino games like slots and table games and what you would find at a land-based casino, there are even fewer differences between playing in person and Live Dealer games.
You can play classic Live Dealer games like Blackjack and Roulette in the comfort of your own home or on your mobile device, all while interacting with a real dealer via chat. You can see the cards being shuffled, being dealt, and talk to the dealer all while the cards are under your control.
While there are not yet Live Dealer games at these new Michigan online casinos, we expect to see them be offered in time. Some games you can expect to find are:
- Blackjack: You can play many Blackjack variations, such as Live Blackjack, Premium Blackjack Pro, and Unlimited Blackjack.
- Three Card Poker: Live Dealers are ready to play Three Card Poker with you!
- Roulette: Place your bets as the Live Dealer Roulette dealer spins the wheel and gives you a chance to win big!
- Baccarat: This entertaining game is amped up with a Live Dealer controlling the action.
- Hold’em: Play Hold’em with a Live Dealer in the comfort of your own home or anywhere in Michigan!
What Are The Stakes At An Casino?
While all stakes are dependent on the type of game you play and change for just about every game, minimum stakes at Michigan online casinos can start as low as 10 cents for some Blackjack versions and video poker, and 20 cents to 50 cents for certain penny slots.
Maximum stakes can get as high as $1,000 if you’re playing Live Dealer games and up to $4,000 on high stakes games like Roulette. Otherwise, you may see card and table games around $200 to $300 and slots between $25 and $100.
Can You Earn VIP Rewards From An Online Casino?
Yes, you can earn rewards from playing at casinos! VIP rewards are prevalent at Michigan real money gambling sites, which is something you don’t see nearly as much of at land-based casinos. If you do find one, it’s usually not as developed and rewarding as online casino rewards programs.
Most casino loyalty programs have tiers that unlock rewards every time you reach a new one. You will also collect rewards points that can help you earn rewards like:
- Bonus money
- Gifts from their store
- Free spins
- Concert tickets
- Dinner deals
- Travel/lodging at various casinos
The Legal History Behind Online Gambling In Michigan
Online gambling was officially made legal once Governor Whitmer signed House Bill 4311 into law. The Lawful Internet Gaming Act was a culmination of years of pushing in the house for online gambling legislation, starting in 1996 when Michigan’s gambling laws were dictated in the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act of 1996.
Representative Robert Kosowski is considered one of the more prominent proponents of Michigan online gambling, pushing legislation starting in 2015. He tried again in 2016 but failed to make any progress. 2017 was a big year with three bills championed by Kosowski that started to shape what ultimately became the Lawful Internet Gaming Act.
The Lawful Internet Gaming Act allows online casinos in Michigan to act as an extension of their in-person casinos, giving each casino a chance to get a license for a online casino. This includes tribe-owned casinos, which are the majority of land-based casinos in the state.
Authorized Online Casinos Vs. Illegal Online Casinos
While some people choose to join illegal online casinos operating in the US but usually run offshore due to the regulations in the US, unless thoroughly vetted, we recommend staying away from them in favor of Michigan online casinos.
Any online gambling site run in the state operates under the rules and regulations of the MGCB, has paid for a license application, has been vetted by the Board, and paid the proper licensing fee. They will also have to pay taxes to the state, giving Michigan a chance to use these funds earmarked for important items like education and healthcare.
Using an illegal offshore casino at its best negates these checks and balances and doesn’t allow taxes to be collected by the state. At its worse, you can subject yourself to:
- Unregulated sites with no board overseeing their financial activity
- Financial transaction issues (problems with banks, dealing with cryptocurrency, paying a fee to deposit/withdraw)
- Slow payouts or not receiving your payout at all
- Horrible or no customer service at all
- Not having a casino app
Who Can Get An MI Authorized Casino License?
All Michigan casinos currently active in Michigan are allowed to start a MI online casino once they apply for and receive a license for online gambling in the state. This includes Detroit casinos and tribal casinos.
To obtain a license, casinos need to pay a $50,000 application fee as well as a $100,000 initial license fee and a $50,000 annual fee. A license is good for five years.
Michigan Gaming Control Board
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) oversees all casino operations in the state, in charge of licensing as well as regulation and control of all gambling activity for Michigan. It was originally created in 1997 with the ratification of the Michigan Gaming Control And Revenue Act.
The scope of their responsibilities increased with the creation of the Lawful Internet Gaming Act that was signed into law in December 2019. It will now oversee mobile casino play as well as online sports betting.
Responsible Gaming In Michigan
How can you be sure you’re gaming responsibly in Michigan? There are many measures you can take to protect yourself along with the protections the MGCB has in place to protect the fairness of online gambling.
First, always sign up for a licensed online casino in the state that has been vetted properly by the board. Any Michigan online gambling site we recommend has passed these checks and balances and will give you a safe, secure place to wager.
Second, be sure to only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Gambling is a form of entertainment and whatever money you lose can be a cost of that entertainment like any other form. Monitor your financial activity or use the limits that online casinos offer, allowing you time limits on their site or wagering limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Old Do I Need To Be To Gamble In MI?
You need to be 21 or older to make wagers in the state of Michigan.
Are Online Casinos Safe?
Yes, online casinos in Michigan are safe and properly regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Can I Win Real Money At Online Casinos?
Yes, you can win real money playing at Michigan online casinos. Playing using money is a sure-fire way to give yourself a chance to win money, but you can also use the bonus money you get through us at online casinos to win if you satisfy any wagering requirements set by the operator.
How Many Casinos Are In MI?
There are a total of 26 casinos in the state of Michigan, with three of them in Detroit run as commercial casinos and 23 of them considered tribal casinos. All 26 are allowed to get licensed to offer an online casino if they pass the vetting process and pay the licensing fees.
How Do MI Gambling Sites Acquire My Location?
Since you are required to be in Michigan to play online casino games, these sites need to verify your location. If you’re playing on a Michigan online casino app, your location is easily conveyed when you allow your location to be seen. If you’re playing on a desktop, geolocation pinpoints your location. Some online casinos will ask you to install the GeoComply plugin that verifies your location and allows you to play without interruption.
Do I Have To Pay Taxes On My Winnings?
Yes, any gambling winnings are subject to Michigan individual income tax, as they would be included in your adjusted gross income. Gambling winnings are subject to federal taxes as well as a 4.25% state tax.
Who Regulates Online MI Casinos?
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) oversees all casinos in Michigan. This includes online casinos and retail and online sportsbooks.
What Are The Most Trusted MI Online Casinos?
BonusSeeker ensures any online casino in Michigan we recommend here has been properly vetted by the MGCB before we showcase it to our readers. BetMGM is one of the most trusted brands in online gaming, backed by a strong brand in MGM that has a presence in Detroit.