March Madness, the NCAA men’s basketball championship tournament, is only weeks away. A number of states in the US already have their sports gambling markets open to bettors, while a few more are putting the final touches on their programs. Michigan falls in the latter category but, with a little bit of luck, sports fans in the state will be able to get in on the action and place their bets in the upcoming collegiate tournament.
Local media outlet WILX points out that the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) and sportsbooks are finalizing details for licenses at three commercial casinos in the state. As soon as the licenses are approved, the venues will be able to set up shop, and MGCB Executive Director Rick Kalm states, “Right now the only thing they’re waiting for us to approve the couple licenses still outstanding for some of their vendors and the internal control. We’ve been going back and forth with them making sure that the internal controls that they have in place are adequate enough to ensure the integrity of gaming and we’re really close.”
If, for any reason, the licenses aren’t approved ahead of March Madness, there are still other options. Tribal casinos in the state can begin their own operations at any time, giving gamblers 24 locations in the state where they can find some action. Kalm adds, “They have their own gaming boards and they have their own approval process and I believe several of them are working with suppliers for their [sportsbook].”
Eventually, both physical and virtual sportsbooks will be allowed, but, like other states, Michigan is taking baby steps toward legalization. Retail venues will launch first, with online sportsbooks possibly coming several months down the road or even sometime next year. The MGCB is currently setting up the rules for online wagers and is going to launch a public commenting period before finalizing the framework for virtual sportsbooks.
Some commercial casinos aren’t waiting for the green light before putting everything into place. The MGM Grand Casino, located in Detroit, built a new $7-million sports lounge complete with self-serve kiosks and already has it up and running. Training of the property’s staff is being completed to ensure that the impending launch runs as smoothly as possible.
March 17 marks the start of March Madness, so there are only two weeks remaining for licenses to be approved if sportsbooks are going to be able to capitalize on the rush of wagers. Michigan is in a race with Illinois and Montana to be the first to launch its sports gambling market in 2020, and all three are hoping to get things going ahead of the upcoming tournament.
