Michigan Online Gaming

In February 2013, the Michigan Lottery began exploring plans to sell lottery tickets online. Mega Millions and Powerball subscriptions would have been sold online. Other games were not initially included. Gov. Rick Snyder included sales from the "iLottery" program in his budget proposal.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette argued it would increase problem gambling and hurt convenience stores. Both the Michigan House and Senate have introduced bills that ban the sale of lottery tickets online.

In June 2013, Snyder dropped the "iLottery" sales from his budget and the Michigan Lottery announced it was halting plans to sell tickets over the internet. But "iLottery" launched again in 2014 after contracting with Canadian-based Pollard Banknote Ltd. and NeoGames to build and manage the system at an estimated cost of $23.2 million.

In April 2016, Senator Mike Kowall introduced the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, SB 889, a bill that would regulate and legalize online gambling in the state.

On 8 March 2017, Senate Bill 203, The Lawful Internet Gaming Act, was passed by the state's Senate Regulatory Reform Committee by a 7-1 vote. The bill, which includes provisions for consumer protections and battling illegal gambling, faces further consideration in the Senate.

In July 2017, Michigan lawmakers introduced a pair of bills that would regulate daily fantasy sports. HB 4742 and HB 4243, sponsored by Rep. Aaron Muller and Rep. Jim Tedder, include licensing requirements and a minimum age requirement. SB 0461 and SB 0462, introduced in June, serve a similar purpose. In June 2018, the State House of Representatives passed the bill by a 68-40 vote. However, it still needed to pass a vote in the Senate.

In November 2018, legislation passed by the House created a regulatory framework for fantasy sports contests in Michigan.

The legislation would add fantasy sports to the lists of games and contests exempted from the state’s prohibition on gambling and create the Fantasy Contests Consumer Protection Act to regulate the activity. The Michigan legislature adjourned without action on the sports betting bill.

In December 2018, the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House of Representatives approved HB 4926. The bill includes provisions for the legalization of full real-money internet casino gaming in the state, as well as internet sports betting. The bill was presented to the Gov. Rick Snyder, who vetoed it, along with 40 other bills, saying he did not think it was "appropriate to sign legislation that will effectively result in more gambling." Snyder's action came just days before he gave up his office to Gretchen Whitmer on 1 January.