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Licence guide · Michigan (US)
Michigan’s MGCB iGaming licence: Detroit and tribal partners, graduated tax and supplier rules
Michigan does something no other large US iGaming state does: it gives tribal nations the same online access as its commercial casinos, and it taxes operators on a sliding scale instead of a flat rate. The result is a market with more possible partners and a lower entry tax for smaller brands. This guide explains the structure set by the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the fees and brackets written into it, and what the Michigan Gaming Control Board expects from the games you offer, as checked in September 2026.
The short version for a busy operator
Online casino play in Michigan is licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), a board within the state Department of Treasury, under the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Public Act 152 of 2019. Only Michigan’s three Detroit commercial casinos and its federally recognised tribes with casinos in the state can hold an internet gaming operator licence; everyone else enters as their platform partner.
The Act was signed in December 2019 alongside the Lawful Sports Betting Act (Public Act 149 of 2019), and real-money online casino and sportsbook sites launched together on 22 January 2021. Players must be 21 or older and physically located in Michigan.
Definition: in Michigan, an “internet gaming operator” is the Detroit casino or tribe that holds the licence; an “internet gaming platform provider” is the company that runs the online platform for it and must hold an internet gaming supplier licence.
Fifteen possible anchors: Detroit casinos and tribal nations
A Michigan online brand needs a licensed anchor. The pool is wider than in New Jersey or Pennsylvania because tribal nations are eligible on the same footing as the Detroit casinos, which is why the market has attracted a long list of brands since 2021.
- Commercial anchors: the three Detroit casinos licensed under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act.
- Tribal anchors: tribes operating Class III casinos in Michigan; the American Gaming Association counts twelve tribes with state gaming compacts.
- Platform providers: the online brand, licensed as an internet gaming supplier, runs the site and app under the anchor’s licence and a commercial agreement.
Each operator may offer online play under at most two brands, one for interactive poker and one for other casino-style games, and it can choose to show a single platform provider’s name and logo alongside its own. In practice that means one casino brand per anchor, so the negotiation for a partner is the first strategic step.
Fees written into the Act
Michigan put its core fees directly into the statute, so they are easy to budget. The operator licence costs $50,000 to apply for, $100,000 when issued and $50,000 every following year; a supplier licence is capped far lower.
Fees in the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Public Act 152 of 2019, as enacted and summarised by the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency
| Licence | Application fee | Initial licence fee | Annual fee after year one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet gaming operator (Detroit casino or tribe) | $50,000 | $100,000 | $50,000 |
| Internet gaming supplier (platform providers, game suppliers) | Up to $5,000, set by the Board | $5,000 | $2,500 |
| Vendor (non-gaming services) | Registration with the MGCB | Not applicable | Not applicable |
The Board may also bill the cost of the licensing investigation on top of the application fee. It does not publish a single all-in figure for launching a brand; that total depends mostly on the partner deal and on legal, compliance and testing work.
The graduated tax, bracket by bracket
Michigan taxes online casino revenue on a sliding scale from 20% to 28% of adjusted gross receipts, with the rate rising two points at each bracket. A smaller brand therefore pays a lower rate than a market leader, a design choice that sets Michigan apart from flat-rate states.
Section 14 of the Lawful Internet Gaming Act (MCL 432.314)
| Adjusted gross receipts (annual) | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| Less than $4 million | 20% |
| $4 million to less than $8 million | 22% |
| $8 million to less than $10 million | 24% |
| $10 million to less than $12 million | 26% |
| $12 million or more | 28% |
Tax is paid monthly, by the tenth day of the following month. Part of the tax paid by the Detroit casinos goes to the City of Detroit, with most of the remainder going to the state’s School Aid Fund; tribal operators make payments at the same rates under the Act. Most established brands reach the top bracket, so model at 28% if you expect scale. In 2026 the governor proposed a new 36% rate on annual receipts above $185 million for the 2026/27 budget; the budget bills advanced by the House and Senate left it out, and as of September 2026 the 20–28% scale in the Act is still the law.
Getting games approved in Michigan
Every internet game and the platform that serves it must be tested and approved before it goes live in Michigan. The MGCB relies on board-approved independent testing laboratories, such as GLI or BMM, to certify games against its technical standards, then approves them for use.
As in other US states, the approval is for a particular version of a particular game. A studio that changes a paytable or ships a new RTP variant has to put that version through the process again, and the operator’s platform must only expose approved builds to Michigan players.
- Random number generation, return to player and game rules are reviewed as part of certification.
- Geolocation, age and identity checks, and the responsible-gaming tools required by the MGCB rules, are tested at platform level.
- The Board keeps a responsible gaming database and a self-exclusion programme that operators must honour.
Content checklist for a Michigan launch
In Michigan the supply chain is licensed: any company that supplies internet gaming platforms or game content to an operator needs an internet gaming supplier licence, and each title needs approval for the state. Put the same two questions to any supplier you consider, aggregators included: which studios in the catalogue hold a Michigan supplier licence, and which games and versions are approved for Michigan players?
Answering those questions game by game is a data problem, and it is easiest when every title carries clean metadata. A casino game aggregator API that tags each game with its studio, category, currencies and markets lets you publish a Michigan-only view of a larger catalogue without a separate integration per studio. Titles from studios such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play, NetEnt or Hacksaw Gaming are familiar to US players, which is exactly why a per-market filter beats a single global list.
- Country parameter at launch: studio territory rules apply automatically when the same brand serves players outside Michigan.
- getGameDemo for free play: demo sessions run through a separate call, away from the real-money wallet.
- Currency choice: lock a US site to USD, or keep currency per player for brands that serve several countries.
- Seamless wallet: the balance stays in your own system, next to your limits and self-exclusion checks.
Because Michigan licensed online casino and sports betting on the same day, many anchors run both. Groups with brands outside the US can serve those markets through the same connection with our sportsbook API and live casino API. SoftAggregator offers one API, a seamless wallet, 40,000+ games from 200+ providers, public documentation at /docs.html and a quick start. Catalogue and currencies change continuously; the live list is in the API.
Order of work, from partner to first bet
The MGCB does not publish a standard processing time. Brands that launched on day one in January 2021 had generally filed during 2020, roughly a year earlier; later entrants report similar horizons.
- Agree terms with a Detroit casino or a tribal operator that still has its casino brand slot free.
- Apply for the internet gaming supplier licence as platform provider, with disclosures for owners and key persons.
- Build the Michigan stack: geolocation, KYC for players aged 21 and over, responsible-gaming tools and reporting.
- Submit the platform and every game version for certification by an approved lab and approval by the Board.
- Launch under the anchor’s internet gaming operator licence once the Board signs off.
This page is general information, not legal advice; engage Michigan gaming counsel before filing.
What operators ask about Michigan
Who can get an internet gaming operator licence in Michigan?
Only the three Detroit commercial casinos and federally recognised tribes operating casinos in Michigan. Other companies take part as licensed internet gaming suppliers, usually as the platform provider behind an operator’s brand.
What is the online casino tax in Michigan in 2026?
A graduated rate on adjusted gross receipts: 20% below $4 million, rising two points per bracket to 28% at $12 million or more. A 2026 proposal to add a 36% top rate was left out of the budget bills advanced by both chambers.
How much does a Michigan iGaming licence cost?
The operator licence is $50,000 to apply, $100,000 on issue and $50,000 a year after that. A supplier licence costs up to $5,000 to apply, $5,000 on issue and $2,500 a year, plus investigation costs.
How many brands can each Michigan operator run?
Up to two: one for interactive poker and one for other casino-style games, or a single brand covering both.
Do game studios need a Michigan licence?
Yes. Suppliers of internet gaming platforms and game content need an internet gaming supplier licence from the MGCB, and each game version must be certified by an approved lab and approved before launch.
When did online casinos launch in Michigan?
On 22 January 2021, the same day as online sports betting.
Sources and last update
Numbers on this page are taken from the statute and from public summaries, reviewed in September 2026. No outbound links: look the titles up directly.
- Lawful Internet Gaming Act, Public Act 152 of 2019 (MCL 432.301 to 432.322), including section 14 on taxes
- Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency, bill analysis of House Bill 4311 (Lawful Internet Gaming Act), December 2019
- Michigan Gaming Control Board, internet gaming and sports betting FAQs for businesses and internet gaming rules
- American Gaming Association, “Gaming Regulations and Statutory Requirements: Michigan”, 2025 fact sheet (tribal compacts)
- Reporting on the governor’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal and the House and Senate budget bills, 2026
Last reviewed: 24 September 2026.
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