Michigan is only one step away from being the next state in the US to legalize online gambling as well as sports betting. On Wednesday of this week, the state Senate approved a package of measures that include both options with now only the governor’s signature needed to see the industries comes to life.
The Lawful Sports Betting Act received massive support this week, passing within the Senate with a vote of 35 to 3. The Act includes several bills and if passed would legalize daily fantasy sports, online gambling and online sports betting.
The measures have been under close scrutiny for quite some time as negotiations took place involving stake holders and lawmakers. In the beginning, Governor Whitmer was not on board. She wanted to see a higher tax rate set to help in case the lottery was affected negatively by the new gaming options. The lottery provides money for the Michigan School Aid Fund, something that cannot afford a shortfall.
After a little finessing by lawmakers, the governor is finally on board. Changes were made to the tax structure to create a tiered system, ensuring cash flow from the new industries revenues. A press release was provided by the governor’s office, stating that she is plead with the progress made regarding gaming this year and that key issues were able to be resolved during negotiations.
Once the Senate approved the gaming package this week, it went back to the House and was approved with overwhelming support. The bills must now be signed by the governor and they will be enacted. It is expected that she will provide her signature.
If online gaming is approved, it will be a positive step for the industry in the US. Pennsylvania was the first to legalize iGaming back in 2017 and West Virginia just approved the option a short time ago. Hopefully, we will begin to see an influx of new states passing such legislation and iGaming will continue to grow across the nation.
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