In Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reportedly given iGaming afficionados the perfect Christmas gift by putting her signature to a wide-ranging piece of legislation that has seen the Midwestern state legalize sportsbetting and online casino gambling.

According to a December 20 story from the Associated Press news service published by the Detroit Free Press newspaper, the measure signed into law by the 48-year-old allows every one of the 26 casinos in Michigan to apply for a sportsbetting license with tribal venues subject to a revenue tax of 8.75%. For Detroit’s commercially-run MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown Casino-Hotel and MotorCity Casino Hotel, this rate has been set at a higher 12% to reflect a city-imposed 3.25% duty with these venues now purportedly hopeful of being able to accept their first wagers in time for the start of next year’s edition of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in March.

Online particulars:

Regarding online casino operations, the legislation approved by the Democratic governor has reportedly established a tiered tax system that starts at 4% of revenues before topping out at 23%. The three casinos in Detroit are again purportedly subject to an elevated rate with the local duty pushing their high water mark up to 26.25%.

Education importance:

Whitmer reportedly told the Associated Press that legalizing online gambling and sportsbetting will help Michigan to increase its funding for public schools and permanently designate cash to help emergency service workers who develop cancer as a result of fighting fires. She moreover purportedly declared that her main priority in negotiating the legislation was to ensure that the new forms of gambling did not hurt her state’s $15.1 billion school aid fund, which is backed by the Michigan Lottery.

Extensive entertainment:

The Associated Press reported that the just-signed legislation will allow punters over the age of 21 to use a computer or mobile device to enjoy any game currently offered by a land-based casino in Michigan. It additionally explained that the three casinos in Detroit are expected to be the first to open on-site sportsbooks before later complementing these with online operations.

Detroit delight:

Marvin Beatty, Community and Public Relations Vice-President for Greektown-Casino Hotel, reportedly told the news service that his venue is ‘excited’ about the possibilities that may come with legalized sportsbetting and what these will ‘mean for the casino, for the state of Michigan and for the city of Detroit’.

Beatty reportedly told the Associated Press…

“Just like MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino Hotel, we will have a facility inside of our building because you will only be able to come to the casino to sports bet until later on.”