This week probably feels like an eternity to sports gambling fans in Michigan. After a number of setbacks that began under the previous administration, the state is closer than ever to legalized sports betting. Michigan lawmakers approved legislation on December 11 to open up the industry in the state, as well as online casinos, and sent it to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for her signature – the final step in the process. Gov. Whitmer has acknowledged that she has the bills and indicates that she’s close to putting her signature to paper.
Soon, state casinos could open sportsbooks and start online gambling operations, following only a small handful of states that have already approved both. According to a statement from the governor, “I do plan to sign it. I do believe it has hit my desk. My legal team is reviewing it, and I’ll probably sign it before the week is over.”
This acknowledgement is a stark contrast to Governor Whitmer’s previous stance on the topic. She had indicated on numerous occasions that she was concerned allowing the activity would take money away from the state lottery’s coffers, which are used to fund education programs. This belief was misguided, as many studies have already shown that no other state’s lottery program has suffered from the introduction of sports or online gambling.
The signature would mark a turning point for Michigan and will help it capture millions of dollars in tax revenue that are currently going elsewhere – not take money away from the lottery. However, the chances of the activity seeing any real development are slim. The NFL Super Bowl is coming up in February and, as the biggest sports gambling event in the US, it would have been nice if Michigan could have capitalized on the game. However, that might be a bit of a stretch.
It’s going to take around six weeks for sportsbooks to be introduced, according to Senator Curtis Hertel Jr., one of the sponsors of the sports gambling bill. With that being the case, and the end-of-year holiday upon us, nothing will get started until January. That puts the timeframe for launch into the middle of February at the earliest.
The trade-off for losing out on the Super Bowl possibilities, if Michigan can stay on schedule, will be that at least gamblers will be able to look forward to placing wagers on another massive sporting event. The college-level basketball championships, March Madness, should see Michiganders placing wagers for the first time, and Hertel told Legal Sports Report, “That’s what we’ve all talked about as a goal.”
