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Michigan Preparing to Launch Online Sports Betting In December

According to new reporting from the Associated Press, Michigan is preparing to launch online sports betting in December. According to the report, Michigan lawmakers will need to waive the remaining time on the proposed licensing rules review period, at which point online sports betting could launch immediately.

The Legalization and Launch Process

Michigan lawmakers will meet Tuesday, Dec. 1, where they are expected to adopt the new legislation. If the lawmakers can agree that the allotted time for review should now be over, the sports betting bill can move forward.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) is comprised of ten legislators. According to the chairman of the JCAR, Republican Senator Pete Lucido, the lawmakers are expected to advance the sports betting bill. The advancement of the bill comes almost a year after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer legalized sports betting.

Michiganders were able to go to brick and mortar locations, such as casinos, to place their sports bets in the spring of 2020, though the COVID-19 pandemic led to somewhat of a slump out of the gate during the launch.

There are still some sports betting providers that haven’t yet acquired their sports betting licenses. Those providers are FanDuel, Barstool, three casinos in Detroit, and 24 tribal casinos with submitted sports betting applications that have yet to be approved by the state.

“Everybody wants to get this thing going,” Senator Lucido said. “This is something that is long overdue at this point. It’s being done in other states. We are losing opportunity costs.”

Lucido explained that some of the delays are due to the casinos having to be closed due to COVID-19 concerns. He also expressed that having online betting options available will benefit casinos, which have struggled to stay afloat due to pandemic-related health and safety guidelines.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board Is Optimistic

Mary Kay Bean of the Michigan Gaming Control Board weighed in on the JCAR meeting. “If we hear that the waiver request was approved by the JCAR, we are hopeful that online gaming and sports betting can start this year,” Bean said.

Once the ruling of the JCAR is filed with the Secretary of State, the licensing process will pick up immediately. Gaming experts believe that more than 90% of sports bets will be placed online in the next four-to-ten years.

Elisa Richardson, a spokesperson for BetMGM, said the sports betting operator is ” eagerly awaiting” the approval of the proposed regulations, and that the company will be working on launching their mobile app through the MGM Grand Detroit casino “shortly thereafter.”

On Monday, DraftKings announced a partnership with the Detroit Pistons. As part of the deal, DraftKings is now the official sports betting provider of the Pistons franchise. BetMGM has previously announced its partnership with the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Lions. The Detroit Tigers have partnered with SportsBet.

The 2020-21 NBA is scheduled to tip off on Dec. 22. There is no set date at this time for the start of the 2020-21 NHL season. MLB is still anticipating a full 162 game season in the summer of 2021.

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