Senate Votes For MI Sports Betting Bill, Possible This Week

• Michigan lawmakers in the state Senate are very close to voting on a sports betting bill.
• State legislators and Governor Gretchen Whitmer are closing in on a deal.
• Votes for a sports betting bill could happen in the next few days.

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Senate members could very well vote on a sports betting bill on Tuesday or later this week.

Making A Deal

State lawmakers have been working on a deal with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for months to try and get the ball rolling on Michigan sports betting. Gambling funds important programs in Michigan. One of the biggest programs that gambling funds in the state is the education system.

Gov. Whitmer wants to protect that funding as much as possible.

The trick is to make sure education is funded in the state while promoting the businesses that implement legal sports betting. It is necessary to find that sweet spot that will ensure all parties are satisfied and they are closing in on that middle ground.

The current plan is to allow for many different gambling operators to provide sports betting. Three commercial casinos in Detroit, 24 tribal casinos, and the lottery could be sportsbook operators in the future. The Lottery in Michigan would also provide an online and mobile component.

There is also the issue of finding the proper sports betting tax rate for sportsbook operators. The State House suggested that sports betting should be taxed at an 8.75 percent rate after winnings are paid.

The Whitmer administration has suggested anywhere from a 10-12 percent tax rate. Although not all the details are hammered out yet, both parties want to get sports betting fully regulated in Michigan.

“If we don’t do something to make sure that we are competitive in that marketplace, we are going to lose out. The longer we delay on this frankly is another day that we miss out on a dollar,” said State Rep. Brandt Iden.

Surrounding states such as Indiana and Illinois have already legalized sports betting. These two states are drawing in crowds from Michigan to bet on sports. The same has happened in other states as well. New Jersey is highly benefiting from the lack of mobile betting in New York.

But all of that could change soon. State lawmakers have indicated that a vote could be held as soon as Tuesday to pass a sports betting bill. This means that sports betting could be open in the state before March Madness begins.

News tags: Brandt Iden | Gretchen Whitmer | Illinois | Indiana | Michigan | New Jersey | New York