Another Strong Month For Michigan Online Gambling In May

Michigan’s online casino market is emerging as one of the most reliable revenue-generating industries in the US. The state’s 13 mobile casino apps produced just over $89 million in revenue for May, staying at that level for the third consecutive month.

Online sportsbooks generated $237.55 million in betting handle, yielding just under $10 million in monthly revenue. We can expect the revenues from mobile sports betting to rise as the state’s dozen online sportsbooks climb out from under the customer acquisition phase, and the welcome bonuses and promo credits that go along with that.

Mobile casinos and sports betting have generated more that $72 million in state tax revenue since launching in January, which has to be viewed as a success for Michigan’s pro-gambling advocates.

MICHIGAN ONLINE CASINO REVENUE MAY 2021*

MI Online Casinos Casino Partner Adjusted Gross Receipts YTD Revenue 2021
BetMGM MGM Grand Detroit
$16,216,293 $157,900,728
DraftKings Casino Bay Mills Indian Community $13,927,176 $76,858,896
FanDuel Casino MotorCity Casino Hotel $13,351,559 $80,057,832
BetRivers Little River Band of Ottawa Indians $5,390,828 $28,544,107
Golden Nugget Keweenaw Bay Indian Community $3,904,877 $16,349,363
WynnBET Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians $3,502,554
$17,772,769
PokerStars Casino Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians $2,960,859
$22,823,221
Barstool Casino Greektown Casino Hotel $2,559,294 $16,812,240
Four Winds Casino Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians $1,879,978
$6,929,560
TwinSpires Hannahville Indian Community $1,274,757
$7,316,413
PlayGunLake.com Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi Indians $526,680 $1,144,568
PointsBet Casino Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians $514,809 $1,127,170
William Hill Casino Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
$172,651 $1,917,256
FireKeepers Casino Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Pottawatomi Indians
$10,712 $10,712
Totals $66,193,027 $435,564,835

*online casino revenue taxed at 20-28% based on earnings

Michigan players make it clear – online casino gaming is a massive hit in the Great Lakes State. Online casino revenue hit another new monthly high in May, with Michigan’s 13 mobile casino apps producing $89,064,106 in combined revenue.

That figure marks an ever-so-slight climb of 0.2% month-to-month versus April. March ($88.7 million in revenue) and April ($88.87) saw revenues come in at almost the exact same numbers.

“Steady” is probably the perfect adjective to describe the Michigan online casino market. BetMGM rules the landscape in Michigan, with FanDuel Casino and DraftKings Casino following.

MICHIGAN ONLINE SPORTS BETTING REVENUE MAY 2021*

MI Sportsbooks Casino Partner Online Betting Handle Adjusted Gross Sports Betting Receipts Internet Sports Betting State Tax**
FanDuel Sportsbook MotorCity Casino Hotel $71,158,909
$7,418,043
$385,818
DraftKings Sportsbook Bay Mills Indian Community $66,743,390 -$781,132 $0
BetMGM MGM Grand Detroit $51,580,090
$2,744,345 $161,367
Barstool Sportsbook Greektown Casino Hotel $18,181,398
$737,394
$43,359
PointsBet Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
$11,441,407
-$93,079 $0
William Hill Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
$6,153,332 -$7,150
$0
FOX Bet Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians $5,087,919
$205,716
$17,280
BetRivers Little River Band of Ottawa Indians $2,834,528 -$41,313 $0
TwinSpires Hannahville Indian Community
$1,483,408 -$104,554 $0
WynnBET Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians $1,417,570
$87,233 $7,328
Golden Nugget Sportsbook Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
$923,269
-$17,804 $0
Four Winds Sportsbook Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
$545,937
-$271,294
$7,552
Totals $237,551,158 $9,876,406
$615,153

*tribal casinos pay 8.4% state tax; commercial casinos pay 5.88% state tax and 2.62% city tax

Michigan’s online sportsbooks produced $9,876,406 in adjusted gross receipts in May. Total gross receipts came in at more than $19.4 million, but 50% of that number was lost after adjustments.

Seven of the state’s 12 online sportsbooks posted negative net revenues in May. The state only collects taxes off of positive annual net revenue, and as a result half of the state’s online sports betting brands haven’t yet paid revenue taxes since the Jan. 2021 launch.

Mobile betting handle ended up at $237,551,158 across all sportsbooks, a good sign for Michigan’s sports betting market. Michigan has emerged as a top-five US sports betting market based on handle, and that should lead to juicier revenues eventually.

Much like the state’s online casino industry, FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM lead the field on the Michigan online sports betting landscape. The monthly revenue reports from the Michigan Gaming Control Board can be viewed here.

About the Author

Geoffrey Fisk

Geoff Fisk is a San Diego-based freelance writer, specializing in the poker and gambling industries. He’s written for numerous platforms and has traveled the globe as a live poker tournament reporter. Geoff’s interests include the legal online poker industry in the U.S. and abroad.