Online gaming and sports betting will go live in Michigan on January 22, 2021, after the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), authorized nine casinos along with their platform providers to launch from noon Friday.
Among those is DraftKings, which partnered with Bay Mills Resort & Casino in June last year, in a deal that allows sports fans in the Wolverine State to place bets at a retail betting location in the casino and via the sportsbook app, as well as choose from a variety of iGaming options such as slots, blackjack and roulette.
Bay Mills:
Co-founder, chairman and Chief Executive Officer for DraftKings, Jason Robins, said in the official press release…
Mobile app success:
Penn National Gaming is another firm that is joining the fray and in a recent press release detailed its imminent launch, having partnered with Detroit’s Greektown Casino Hotel for the launch of its Barstool Sportsbook mobile app, with its “iCasino products” to closely follow. The company’s retail sportsbook opened at the Detroit casino on December 23, 2020.
President and Chief Executive Officer for Penn National, Jay Snowden, said in a news release…
“This is an exciting time to be launching our online Barstool Sportsbook in Michigan. We have been incredibly pleased with the success of the mobile app since launching in Pennsylvania in September. Our customers have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with Dave Portnoy, Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz and other Barstool fan favorites, and we expect more of the same in Michigan.
“As the only gaming operator with a fully integrated sports media and entertainment partner, Penn can provide our customers the opportunity to interact with Barstool personalities online and also in-person at our new Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown.”
License approval:
The MGCB launched in-person sports betting in March, and the online gaming supplier licensing process in May, while in early December signing off on provisional licenses for 15 platform providers to support both commercial and tribal casinos’ online gambling and sports betting offerings in the state.