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…

“Foremost, we would like to thank Bay Mills for their tremendous support in bringing DraftKings to the great state of Michigan. We are confident that our mutual commitment to product innovation and customer experience will serve as a solid foundation as we soon introduce Michiganders to the signature DraftKings experience.”

Owned and operated by the Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC), the resort and casino located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, about a seven-hour drive north of Detroit, is the longest operating gaming facility in the Midwestern state.

Bryan Newland, BMIC Chairman, said…

“We look forward to officially launching our partnership with DraftKings and bringing a new aspect of gaming entertainment to our fellow Michiganders. Online gaming and sports betting will help our tribe and our casino move solidly into the future.”

BetRivers debut:

Rush Street Interactive (RSI) also announced that it will begin accepting wagers in Michigan at its online casino and sportsbook, BetRivers.com, courtesy of its partnership with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. Meanwhile, residents of the Great Lake State are able to continue to place in-person bets at RSI’s retail sportsbook at the Little River Casino Resort (“LRCR”) in Manistee.

“We are excited to continue the successful expansion of our online casino and sportsbook and bring greater ease and convenience to Michiganders with the debut of BetRivers.com,” said Richard Schwartz, president of RSI.

“Since launching our award winning online gaming platform in 2016, RSI has become a leading U.S. online casino and sports betting operator due to our unwavering commitment to earning and retaining player trust, and constantly innovating and creating player-friendly features that are unique to the industry.”

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.