Guide to Michigan Gambling Age: Casinos, Sports Betting & More

Michigan is one of the more liberal states in the US when it comes to gambling. With several forms of gambling legalized, including more modern forms such as Daily Fantasy Sports along with state legislature moving towards legalizing further forms of gaming, the future is looking bright for fans of betting in the Wolverine State.

On this page we will explore all forms of legal gambling, and the activities currently being legalized in Michigan. We will also outline the legal Michigan gambling age required to participate in each form of activity, as well as giving an insight into any future legal developments in the state.

In the table above we have included all the legal gambling ages required for Michigan residents to participate in each form of legalized gambling. If there isn’t a name included below the form of gambling then it is not yet legal in the state.

In the sections below we will go into further detail about each of the legal gambling ages as well as discussing the history of betting in the state. We will also offer insight into any potential legal changes on the horizon for gambling in the Wolverine State.

Casino Age in Michigan

Casino gambling has been legal for almost three decades in Michigan, with the first laws passed in 1993 to legalize casinos on tribal lands in accordance with Tribal-State Gaming Compacts. Closely following tribal casinos were commercial casinos which were legalized in 1996 by a bill that allowed for three commercial casinos to be established in Detroit. To date there are still only 3 commercial casinos in Michigan, but the tribal casino industry is flourishing with 24 operating at last count.

The legal Casino Age in Michigan varies depending on the casino. The three commercial casinos operating in Detroit all have a strict 21 and over policy, whereas the tribal casinos are free to set their own entry ages so long as it is above the age of 18. This means that the entry ages for tribal casinos vary either limiting entry to 18, 19 or 21 and over.

The rationale for keeping the commercial casino gambling age at 21 plus is because all commercial casinos serve alcohol on their premises. The legal drinking age across the US is 21, so it follows that if casinos are serving alcohol then entry must be limited to only those who are legally allowed to drink.

The introduction of casinos within Michigan was allowed as it brings in good revenue for the state. So keen is the state to keep commercial casinos popular and the operators onside, that the state allowed commercial casino to be exempt from state-wide indoor smoking bans.

Given that casino gambling is so popular with residents and lucrative for the state, there have been moves within the state legislature since 2014 to attempt to expand the number of commercial casinos that can operate within state boarders. This expansion remains an ongoing discussion, but as there is a real want for more funding at a state level it is only a matter of time before more commercial casinos start popping up in the Wolverine State.

What are the 18 Year Old Casinos in Michigan?

An outlier amongst many other US states, Michigan does have casinos that allow entry to 18 year olds. Under the state and tribal gambling compacts tribes are able to set their own Casino entry age, so long as it is above the age of 18. Five casinos run by the Kewadin Tribe allow entry for those above the age of 19, and there are several other casinos that allow entry for 18 plus.

The casinos that offer entry to 18 year olds do not limit the casino games on offer. Most 18 plus casinos operating in Michigan offer a full Vegas style gambling experience including Black jack, Roulette, Slot Machines, Baccarat and more.

To help you locate the best 18 plus casinos within Michigan, we have provided a list of the top eight below.

Sports Betting in Michigan

Michigan has only just legalized sports betting, this late arrival of sports betting seems at odds with Michigan’s proud reputation as a sports loving state supporting four major league teams including the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Tigers.

The state had been considering legalizing sports betting for several years, but no concrete steps were taken towards legalization until December 2018 when state representatives said they would make it a priority for 2019, and finally legislation was passed in December 2019 allowing for in person and mobile sports betting. The legal age to place sports bets in Michigan as stipulated by the new legislation is 21 years old.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic only in-person sports betting was able to begin before a state-wide shut down delayed the commencement of mobile betting. Mobile sports betting was due to be released in Michigan in the Summer of 2020, but it now looks like the roll out will be delayed until 2021. This will surely be upsetting to the state legislature as Michigan is in need of the taxes sports betting will generate for the state.

One other form of sports betting that has been legal in Michigan for many decades is pari-mutuel betting on horse races. This form of gambling has been legal in the state since 1933 and allows for in person betting on horse races. The new law legalizing sports betting also allows for pari-mutuel betting to go online as well, so when mobile sports betting is rolled out in Michigan fans of the races will be able to place their bets from the comfort of their own homes.

Michigan Online Gambling Age

One area in which Michigan has not yet diversified is online casino gambling. In fact, it is illegal to gamble at an online casino in Michigan and any resident caught wagering at an online casino could be prosecuted. As betting online is illegal there is no online gambling age for casino sites in Michigan.

Fans of online wagering should not be disheartened though, as mentioned above Michigan has recently given the green light to online sports betting via mobile and online. Once the mobile sports betting is up and running Michigan residents will be able to place bets on local and national sporting events as well as place wagers on horse races. The legal gambling ages for online sports betting is 21, whereas it is 18 for pari-mutuel betting – it will be interesting to see how the state legislature navigates this age disparity when operators establish their online gambling sites.

Michigan is in the minority when it comes to legalizing some form of online betting, many other states in the US are yet to legalize any form. To check what forms of gaming are legal in Michigan and the relevant gambling ages associated make sure you reference the legal gambling ages table at the top of this page.

One thing Michigan residents should be aware of is that while they may be able to access offshore gambling sites that allow those aged 18 and over to wager on them, this is not necessarily a good idea. Offshore gambling websites are not licensed or registered in the US, therefore players would not be covered by any of the US’s consumer laws and could risk losing a lot of money should the site shut down unexpectedly.

Michigan state is aware of the impact offshore casinos and betting sites are having on the state, and the fact that legalizing online casinos would bring in more tax revenue for the state. Most recently in 2018, a bill was passed through the state house and senate which would have legalized online casino gambling, in an effort to reclaim it from offshore operators. Sadly however, the bill was vetoed by the Governor before it could be passed into law.

Poker Gambling Age

As online casino gambling is currently illegal in Michigan it would follow that online poker is also illegal. Poker fans can still enjoy in person poker games at one of the state’s many casinos where poker rooms can be found in abundance. Players must be the legal gambling age stipulated by the casino in order to play poker there. As discussed earlier, the entry age to casinos in Michigan varies from 18 – 21 so players should check up on the specific casinos regulations before gambling there.

As mentioned above, Michigan is wary of offshore online gambling operators and the impact they are having on the state’s gaming industry. To try and reclaim the market from the offshore operators there was a bill introduced in 2018 that would have legalized online gambling, including online poker. While this bill was ultimately vetoed at the last hurdle, it does show that Michigan’s state legislature is working to legalize online betting and that it will hopefully be legalized in the near future.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily Fantasy Sports is legal to play in Michigan, players must be above the age of 18 to participate when playing in the Wolverine State. It was a long road to Daily Fantasy Sports legalization, after landing in Michigan in the early 2000’s it operated in a very grey area of the law being neither legal nor illegal. However, in 2017 it was decided that Daily Fantasy Sports was a game of skill not chance and a Bill was tabled to formalize its legality.

The bill that was passed languished in state legislature for over two years until finally Daily Fantasy Sports incorporated into Michigan state law in December 2019 along with Sports Betting. This formal legalization of Daily Fantasy Sports allows all major operators including Fan Duel and Draft Kings to operate without any worries in Michigan, it also allows Michigan state to impose taxes on all operators which in turn raises much needed money for state funded institutions.

Legal Age to Play the Lottery in Michigan

Michigan has a legal state-run lottery which has been in play since 1972, the legal gambling age to participate is 18. To make things even better for Michigan residents the lottery has recently been taken online as well, meaning that residents can now take advantage of buying their lottery tickets from the comfort of their own home.

Michigan’s lottery is run by the state backed Michigan Lottery. Michigan Lottery has manages the profits of the Lottery and how it is distributed, since 1972 the lottery has raised over $26 billion for The School Aid Fund which is divvied out amongst Michigan’s state funded schools.

The introduction of an online lottery to Michigan in 2014 can be attributed to the state’s need for additional revenue streams. Through opening up an online lottery the state not only allowed more residents the opportunity to play, but it also created an opportunity for Michigan Lottery to further diversify the amount of Lotto games on offer and increase the ease in playing and checking tickets.

Michigan Gambling Laws & Future Outlook

The state gambling laws for Michigan can be found in the states penal code and within the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act. Within these laws gambling is defined as ‘accepting money or a valuable thing contingent upon result of a game, race, contest or happening of uncertain event’.

Under this definition all forms of wagering and betting of all kind within the state are considered gambling. While gambling is an offence under the penal code, several amendments and additional legislation provides exceptions to the definition provided in the penal code.

The market in Michigan is an extremely lucrative revenue creator for the state, and in turn the state has a very positive approach to gambling. In 2019 land-based casinos alone created an economic impact of over $6 billion and supported almost 38,000 jobs. Taxes generated through land-based casinos, state lottery and now sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports provide money to help fund state initiatives and institutions.

There are taxes applied to gambling winnings in Michigan, the tax rate applied to winnings varies on the type of gambling being undertaken. For the majority of gambling winnings are considered personal income and therefore taxed at each individual’s personal tax rate. For the state lottery however, a federal tax is also applied, for any winnings above $5,000 winners are obliged to pay a 24% federal tax alongside a 4.25% state tax.

With the sports betting and Daily Fantasy Sports recently becoming legal in Michigan, things are definitely looking up for the state’s gambling market. While the full economic effect of sports betting is yet to take effect in Michigan due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and delay in rolling out online/mobile betting it is sure to reap massive rewards for state funding once it is able to operate at full capacity.

The next logical step would then be for Michigan to legalize online gambling. In 2018 a bill was almost passed into law that would have legalized online casinos, however this was vetoed by the Governor at the final hurdle. While there aren’t any current bills that propose legalizing online casino gambling, with the advent of online sports betting it is only a matter of time before online casino gambling is legalized.

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope that this page has helped impart a good understanding of the legal status of gambling in the state, including what forms of gaming are legal to play and the legal Michigan gambling age for each form. If you have any additional questions take a look at our answers to the most frequently asked questions below. To see the other US gambling ages by state head to our homepage.