In most parts of the United States, the legal gambling age is indeed 18. However, as stated above, in some states, people will need to hold off for three more years until the reach the ripe old age of 21. Best Online Casinos Accepting USA Players 18+. Per IRC § 165(d) the deduction for gambling losses has been limited. For tax years beginning before 2018, a professional gambler could deduct all trade or business expenses incurred in gambling activities, and could deduct gambling losses up to the amount of gambling winnings.
Michigan is an extremely liberal state when it comes to gambling. Horse racing dates back to the Great Depression. A state lottery and charitable gaming were added in the 1970s. Charities may offer more than typical bingo games. This includes casino and poker nights. Tribal casinos opened in the 1990s.
Voters approved Detroit casinos in 1997 to recapture money going to tribes and across the U.S. border in Windsor. Casino Locations: Detroit, Christmas, Wayland Township, Standish, Baraga, New Buffalo, Battle Creek, Dowagiac, Brimley, Sault St. Marie, Petoskey, Mackinaw City, Williamsburg, Watersmeet, Mt. Pleasant, Lansing, Suttons Bay, Hessel, St. Ignace, Manistee, Marquette, Harris, Fruitport, Vanderbilt, Manistique, and Hartford.
| Michigan Casinos & Gambling | |
|---|---|
| Michigan Legal Gambling Age | 18 – 21 |
| Number of Casinos | 41 |
| Estimated Casino Revenue | $3.8 Billion |
| Smoking ban | Exempts casinos |
| Can You Gamble Online in Michigan? | Yes |
| Michigan Online Gambling | Horse Racing & Lottery |
Paying Gambling Taxes in Michigan
OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying gambling taxes. With our exclusive Gambling Taxes Guide, you can learn how to report your gambling winnings and deduct losses. Get helpful tips straight from a Certified Public Accountant.
Guide to Michigan Casinos Map
- Greektown
- MotorCity
- MGM Grand
- Firekeepers
- Little River Casino
- 22
- 37
- 19
Types of Online Gambling Allowed in Michigan
There are two types of online gambling that are legal in Michigan. Off-track betting is permitted through TVG and XpressBet. Only horses may be wagered through websites and mobile apps. Greyhound bets are not permitted.
The other form of legal online gambling in Michigan is through the state lottery. Lotto tickets are sold on the state’s website. This includes Fantasy 5, Lotto 47, Powerball, and Mega Millions. There are instant games that resemble pulls on a slot machine. There is also a real money keno game that is the site’s most popular feature.
The Michigan Gaming Control Boarddeclared daily fantasy sports to be illegal in the state. This did not stop the sites from continuing to operate there. DraftKings and FanDuel are among the sites that accept players from Michigan.
Types of Live Gambling Allowed in Michigan
Horse racing is the oldest form of regulated gambling in Michigan. There are four racetracks in Michigan. Live dates are declining with each year as the industry contracts. Each track offers a race book.
Charities may spread several forms of gambling for fundraising purposes. This includes bingo, raffles, casino nights and poker tournaments. Lottery tickets may be purchased at retailers.
There are nearly two-dozen Michigan casinos. Most are on Native American land. Three are in Detroit. Permitted games include slots, video poker, live poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and house-banked poker games.
| Types of Legal Gambling in Michigan | |
|---|---|
| Game Type | Is it Legal? |
| Slots | Yes |
| Blackjack | Yes |
| Poker | Yes |
| Craps/Roulette | No |
| Horse Racing | Yes |
| Lottery | Yes |
| Sports Betting | Yes |
Michigan Gambling Laws
Michigan permits a variety of gambling, but it also has strict penalties for those that do not follow them. There are 21 gambling crimes that are misdemeanors. There are eight felonies related to illegal gambling. Games of skill are still considered gambling in Michigan if played for money and not expressly permitted under state law.
The state licenses racetracks to offer horse racing but not greyhound events. Racebooks and mobile apps are permitted to accept action on races that occur out of state.
The Michigan Lottery is the only entity permitted to operate games of chance throughout the state. It is permitted to also offer these games over the Internet.
Michigan casinos are only permitted on reservations or in the city limits of Detroit. The state takes 24 percent of the net win from Detroit casinos. This was raised from 18 percent in 2004. Tribal casinos do not pay taxes to the state. All games that would be found in the traditional casino are legal. This includes slots, video poker, electronic table games, live poker, craps, roulette, blackjack and any card game deemed legal by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
The minimum age to gamble in Michigan is 18 years for lotteries, charitable gambling, and horse racing. Michigan casinos may permit 18-year-olds if there is no alcohol served. Otherwise, the minimum age is 21 years.
To learn about online casino laws in other states, visit our US States Casinos page.
Where to Gamble in Michigan
There are more than 20 charity poker rooms in Michigan. There are also thousands of lottery retailers.
Michigan Casinos and Locations
| Casino | Size | Address | Website |
| Bay Mills Casino – Brimley | 980 Slot Machines | 11386 West Lakeshore Drive | www.baymillscasinos.com |
| FireKeepers Casino – Battle Creek | 2,680 Slot Machines | 11177 East Michigan Avenue | www.firekeeperscasino.com |
| Four Winds – Dowagiac | 300 Slot Machines | 58700 M-51 | www.fourwindscasino.com |
| Four Winds Casino – Hartford | 500 Slot Machines | 68600 Red Arrow Highway | www.fourwindscasino.com |
| Four Winds Casino – New Buffalo | 3,000 Slot Machines | 11111 Wilson Road | www.fourwindscasino.com |
| Greektown – Detroit | 2,600 Slot Machines | 555 East Lafayette Boulevard | www.greektowncasino.com |
| Gun Lake Casino – Wayland Township | 1,600 Slot Machines | 1123 129th Avenue | www.gunlakecasino.com |
| Island Resort – Harris | 1,200 Slot Machines | W399 US2&41 | www.islandresortandcasino.com |
| Kewadin Casino – Christmas | 245 Slot Machines | 7761 Candy Cane Lane | www.kewadinchristmas.com |
| Kewadin Casino – Hessel | 150 Slot Machines | 3395 3-Mile Road | www.kewadinhessel.com |
| Kewadin Casino – Lansing | 3,000 Slot Machines | Michigan Avenue and Cedar Street | www.kewadin.com |
| Kewadin Casino – Manistique | 275 Slot Machines | 5630 US-2 | www.kewadinmanistique.com |
| Kewadin Casino – Sault Ste. Marie | 700 Slot Machines | 2186 Shunk Road | www.kewadinsault.com |
| Kewadin Casino – St. Ignace | 820 Slot Machines | 3015 Mackinac Trail | www.kewadinstignace.com |
| Kings Club Casino – Brimley | 250 Slot Machines | 12140 West Lakshore Drive | www.baymillscasinos.com |
| Lac Vieux Desert Casino – Watersmeet | 749 Slot Machines | 5384 Highway 45 North | www.lvdcasino.com |
| Lakeshore Casino – Fruitport | 1,700 Slot Machines | Ellis Road | Planned Project |
| Leelanau Sands Casino – Peshawbestown | 450 Slot Machines | 2521 N.W. Bayshore Drive | www.leelanausandscasino.com |
| Little River Casino – Manistee | 1,500 Slot Machines | 2700 Orchard Highway | www.lrcr.com |
| MGM Grand – Detroit | 4,129 Slot Machines | 1777 Third Street | www.mgmgranddetroit.com |
| MotorCity Casino – Detroit | 2,700 Slot Machines | 2901 Grand River Avenue | www.motorcitycasino.com |
| Odawa Casino – Mackinaw City | Under Construction | 1028 Nicolet Street | www.odawacasino.com |
| Odawa Casino – Petoskey | 1,500 Slot Machines | 1760 Lears Road | www.odawacasino.com |
| Ojibwa Casino – Baraga | 331 Slot Machines | 16449 Michigan Avenue | www.ojibwacasino.com |
| Ojibwa Casino – Marquette | 309 Slot Machines | 105 Acre Trail | www.ojibwacasino.com |
| Saganing Eagles Landing – Standish | 848 Slot Machines | 2690 Worth Road | www.saganing-eagleslanding.com |
| Saginaw Chippewa Bingo – Mt. Pleasant | 848 Slot Machines | 7070 East Broadway Road | www.sagchip.org |
| Soaring Eagle Casino – Mt. Pleasant | 4,200 Slot Machines | 6800 Soaring Eagle Boulevard | www.soaringeaglecasino.com |
| Turtle Creek Casino – Williamsburg | 1,331 Slot Machines | 7741 M-72 East | www.turtlecreekcasino.com |
There are two racetracks in Michigan that operate in 2016:
| Racetrack | Live Racing | Address | Website |
| Hazel Park Raceway | Thoroughbreds | 1650 East 10 Mile Road | www.hazelparkraceway.com |
| Northville Downs | Thoroughbreds & Harness | 301 South Center Street | www.northvilledowns.com |
Michigan Gambling History
The Racing Act of 1933 brought legalized gambling to Michigan. This created the Office of Racing Commissioner and pari-mutuel pools for horseracing. Horseracing peaked in the mid-1900’s. It began a decline after tribal casinos started to open in the 1990’s. There are just three racetracks that hold live races each year while a fourth one remains in limbo.
Voters approved a state lottery on May 16, 1972. The first scratch-off ticket was sold on October 7, 1975. The first lotto ticket was sold for a Pick 3 drawing on June 6, 1977. Michigan joined interstate lotto pools on June 11, 1996. Pull tabs and keno games were installed at bars in 2003. The Michigan Lottery launched internet games in 2014. This includes the sale of lotto drawing tickets. There are also instant games that mimic slots and a video keno game available on the Michigan Lottery website.
Act 382 was passed in 1972. It permitted charities to spread games of chance to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. Bingo, raffles and other drawings. Casino-style gaming was added to charity laws in 2007.
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The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe opened the first reservation casino in Mt. Pleasant in 1993. Gaming eventually expanded to more than a dozen tribes in 20 locations. In November 1996, voters approved the expansion of gambling to Detroit. Three Michigan casinos operate there today. The original tax rate for Detroit casinos was 18 percent. It was raised to 24 percent in 2004.Michigan enacted a smoking ban on May 1, 2010. The law exempts Detroit casinos. This was done because state smoking bans do not apply to reservations and would have left Detroit casinos at a competitive disadvantage.
| Michigan Regulated Gambling | |
|---|---|
| Racing | 1933 |
| Lottery | 1972 |
| Bingo | 1972 |
| Tribal | 1993 |
| Detroit Casinos | 1997 |
| Lottery Internet Games | 2014 |
Michigan Gambling FAQ
Yes. It has been since 1933.
What horse racing tracks are still open in Michigan?
Hazel Park and Northville Downs offer live horse racing and race books in Michigan. Sports Creek has been permanently shut down.
They are not, according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board. This has not stopped sites from accepting Michigan players.
Charity poker rooms, reservation casinos and the ones in Detroit all offer legal poker rooms.
Gambling Age In California
Slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker, baccarat and live poker are among the approved games in Michigan casinos.
Michigan casinos are exempted from the statewide smoking ban.
The only forms of online gambling legal are off-track betting and lottery games.
What games are sold by the Michigan Lottery over the Internet?
Gambling Age Az
Video keno, instant scratch-off tickets, and lotto drawings are sold by the Michigan Lottery on its website.
Gambling Age On Cruise Ships
The minimum age for lotteries, charity gaming, and horseracing is 18. Casinos that do not serve alcohol may permit 18-year-olds. Casinos with alcohol must limit players to those 21 years of age or older.