Could Online Gambling Be Coming to Michigan
The answer is yes.
The Detroit News is reporting that last night the Michigan House of Representatives voted 68-40 and passed a bill that would allow online gambling in Michigan.
State Representative Brandt Iden, Republican, was quoted in the article stating:
It will allow internet gaming as it relates to all of the currently allowed games in a brick-and-mortar casino, that’d be poker, roulette, black jack, craps
This bill now goes to the Senate which is out of session so it will not be taken up until the fall.
Casinos will need to obtain a license from the state and the bill as written would charge an 8% tax on all online gambling activity. Could this tax be the reason the House passed this bill?
The 8% tax would be divided four ways according to Representative Iden, which is as follows:
- 5% would go toward school aid
- 5% would go toward transportation
- 55% will be given to the city of Detroit
- 35% will be given to a new Internet Gaming Fund. This Internet Gaming Fund will administer the online gambling program
Why is Detroit getting 55% of the tax revenue? Are there any regulations on what they can spend that money on?
Michigan took up this bill due to a May U.S. Supreme Court decision that found the “Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act violated states’ rights when it prohibited states from allowing sports betting”.
Some are saying this bill will stop Michigan residents from traveling to other states to bet online.
Really do people drive to another state so they can find a Wi-Fi connection and make bets online? I can assume some might but not a lot of people. You must be pretty addicted to gambling to travel to another state to bet on-line, we do have casinos here in Michigan.
Are you worried that this will increase the problem that families face when loved ones are addicted to gambling?
How will they stop people under the age of 21 from gambling online?
Was this inevitable due to the fact that other states allow online gambling or are moving in that direction?
Quite a bit to think about and I bet it will pass the Senate and be signed by the Governor, do you?
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