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State Sen. Mike Kowall led last session’s online gambling legalization efforts. He is the primary sponsor of Michigan’s new bill, S 203, The Lawful Internet Gaming Act.
The new bill picks up pretty much where Michigan left off last year.
One of the more interesting elements of the bill is a section that reads: “The types of internet games to be offered, which must include, but need not be limited to, poker.”
It would appear that all online gambling operators in Michigan will be required to offer online poker. Unlike some New Jersey operators, they cannot exclusively offer online casino games.
It appears online gambling licenses in Michigan will be broken into three tiers:
By comparison, in bills in other states:
Michigan is also imposing a relatively low tax rate on operators, as the bill calls for operators to pay just 10 percent of its gross gaming revenue to the state.
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Following its introduction, the bill was referred to the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee. According to the Poker Players Alliance, there will be a hearing and a vote on the bill next week.
BREAKING: Just got word the Michigan Senate Regulatory Reform Committee will have a hearing/vote on new iGaming bills next week.-jp #GoGoGo
— Poker Alliance (@ppapoker) March 1, 2017
In addition to Kowall, the bill is co-sponsored by five other state senators:
All six of the sponsors are sitting members of the Regulatory Reform Committee. That all but guarantees that the bill move forward, considering the committee only has nine members.