Michigan’s robust iGaming (internet gaming) and sports betting industry continues to post big numbers each month.
In the latest Michigan Gaming Control Board report for April, the industry reported a total of $234.8 in gross receipts and gross sports betting. That’s down 8.7 percent compared to March (March is always a big sports betting month because of March Madness) but significantly better than April of 2023.
Let’s dive into the numbers and explain what matters and what doesn’t.
Gross receipts are different than adjusted gross receipts (AGR). The AGR factors in what gamblers won. Gross receipts are how much was taken in. The total gross receipts for iGaming operators was $192.9 million and sports betting was $41.9 million.
Now let’s look at the AGR, for iGaming operators in Michigan it was $174.1 million and sports betting it was $27.8 million. Where did all that money go? Hopefully, maybe you won some. This reflects winners taking home $18.8 million in iGaming and $14.1 million from sports betting.
iGaming receipts were down over 10 percent from March of 2024, and sports betting remained practically the same. Sports betting handle for the month of April $399.1 million, way down from $480.4 million for March of 2024 (the March Madness Effect).
Operators will end up paying $37.6 million in taxes to Michigan based upon these overall numbers for the month of April. These funds are spread across multiple accounts, including the Agriculture Equine Industry Development Fund, Michigan Strategic Fund, the City of Detroit and Local Government.
The MGCB lumps all of the internet operators into one grouping for reporting iGaming and sports betting revenue. For the month of April, the internet operators reported $193 millon in gross receipts.
After that, the MGCB breaks it down by casino brand/institution. It’s a rare glimpse at just what casino has the biggest piece of the iGaming market.
Here’s how they ranked for April.
Motor City Casino $50.7 million
MGM Grand Detroit $49.7 million
Bay Mills Indian Community $38.5 million
Little River Band $12.4 million
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians $11.2 million
Greektown $4.6 million
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians $4.2 million
Soaring Eagle Gaming $4.0 million
Lac Vieux Desert Band $3.3 million
Little Traverse Bay Band $3.0 million
Keweenaw Bay Indian $2.9 million
Gun Lake $2.6 million
Saute Ste. Marie Tribe $2.3 million
FireKeepers Casino $2.0 million
Hannahville Indian $1.2 million
As of April 2024, Michigan has a total of 15 commercial and tribal operators working in the iGaming or internet sports betting industry. 13 commercial and tribal casinos offer internet sports betting, while all 15 offer iGaming platforms for online slots and table games.
Michigan is the 10th biggest state when ranked by population with over 10 million residents. iGaming is only legal in seven states: New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Of those states, the only one with a similar population to Michigan is New Jersey which has 9.2 million residents. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement reports 31 licenses iGaming operators and for the month of April 2024, New Jersey revenue (basically gross receipts, just a different accounting term) was $187.9 million.
April’s numbers add to the reputation of Michigan as one of the top iGaming and online sports betting states in America.
Born and raised in Louisiana, Darren Cooper has a fond appreciation for bayous, Mardi Gras beads and the sports betting industry. Darren has worked for multiple print and online publications since 1998, primarily as a sports columnist in the Northeast. He’s covered a Super Bowl (it was a blowout), the World Series (same) and the NBA Draft (man, those guys are tall). For the last few years he’s dug deep into the sports gambling industry as it exploded across America, learning how the legal sausage is made and how while all the sportsbooks look the same, they all have different identities and styles. He’s learned to always bet within his means -- and take the under. When not in front of his computer creating, Darren spends time with his three boys. He runs, reads and is always looking for the next big thing to write about.
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