• Gambling online is now being legalized in a number of states and as of December 20th, 2019, Michigan has followed in the footsteps of New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware despite the fact that in 2018, after former Governor Rick Snyder vetoed the legislation, the matter of MI online betting was seemingly been put on hold.
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• Online Gambling Illegal United States
• Tennessee Online Gambling Bill
• Oklahoma Gambling Bill
• Online Gambling Legislation Europe
• Louisiana Gambling Bill

The new gambling expansion bill does not provide for online casino games or poker. So, this means Illinois will not be joining Delaware, New Jersey, Nevada or Pennsylvania, which currently allow players to enjoy legal and regulated online poker. Illinois poker players do have the option to play at Global Poker, a sweepstakes poker site. Gretchen Whitmer signed the gaming expansion bill on her desk, sports betting, online casinos, online poker, and daily fantasy sports became the law of the land. The latest estimate for the launch of mobile sports betting, online casinos and online poker in Michigan is for early 2021, probably in January. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is United States legislation regulating online gambling.It was added as Title VIII to the SAFE Port Act (found at 31 U.S.C. §§ 5361–5367) which otherwise regulated port security.The UIGEA prohibits gambling businesses from 'knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager.

Online Gambling Illegal United States

Michigan’s outgoing governor vetoed a bill to legalize online gambling in December, but bipartisan efforts will persist to pass a similar bill in 2019.

• Online gambling legalization bill was passed by the Michigan legislature
• Outgoing Governor Snyder vetoed the bill on his second-to-last day in office
• Positive signs are that the two parties will pass a similar bill in 2019

Journey to online gambling legalization

The Michigan legislature, which is under Republican control, approved a bill to legalize online gambling in December. However, the outgoing governor, Rick Snyder, vetoed it as one of his last moves in office. Therefore, Michigan’s attempt to become just the fifth state in the US to have legal online gambling was at least postponed.

Because Snyder had been in office for the maximum period, he could not run for re-election in November, and Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is the state’s new governor.

The veto of this bill was a blow after a lot of bipartisan work had gone into it. State Representative Brandt Iden had attempted to push such a bill through for many years. It was difficult because the tribal and commercial casinos both have considerable political power and their interests often do not align with one another.

In the last week of the 2018 legislative session, the final version of the bill got the green light from the Senate. While the bill only explicitly mentioned poker, it was also going to apply to casino games once the proper regulations were put into place.

Why did Snyder object?

Snyder sent a letter explaining his vetoes before he left office. He said that he thought online gambling would jeopardize the existing iLottery and lottery revenues. He also felt that the Michigan School Aid Fund would not receive adequate funds from online gambling taxes.

Many experts rebutted his claims of potential cannibalization. They pointed at online gambling legalization in other states where no such issues arose.

The bill would have imposed an 8% tax on online wagering revenues, minus winnings paid out. The current tax rate for the three state casinos in Detroit is 19%. There are 23 tribal casinos in the state in addition to the three non-tribal casinos in Detroit.

These establishments will be able to apply for a license when the process begins. The allocation of the tax revenues was the main sticking point in the Senate. It is estimated that in the first year of having legal online gambling, tax revenues will increase by more than $140m (£110m).

New bill likely to pass

Detroit has been experiencing a lot of issues since the Great Recession. The city has finally been able to get out of its financial mess after having to declare bankruptcy. However, it needs new forms of economic development.

One major source of revenue for the city would be a tax on online gambling. The bipartisan approach taken for the legalization bill shows that this is a good idea. It can have hugely positive effects on the city and state as a whole.

Local businesses would see significant upticks in revenues, as well as the casinos themselves. There was huge disappointment after Snyder vetoed the bill on December 28. However, the support is so strong that a new bill is very likely to pass.

Supporters are focusing their efforts on informing the new governor about the many great benefits legal online gambling can have for the region. They do not want to face another veto.

Estimates from Amaya Inc. project additional revenues of as much as $60m (£47m) annually from the casinos in Detroit alone. There is also the problem that many residents of Michigan are using illegal offshore gambling websites. Therefore, the thriving black market is draining money that could be going to the state.

Both political parties are committing to working together to push this bill over the line finally in 2019. They are confident that Snyder’s veto will not last very long.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Sports betting and online gambling would become legal at Michigan casinos under legislation approved Wednesday by the House, though Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continues to have concerns that the expansion could syphon revenue from the state’s iLottery.

The main measures in the 10-bill package passed on 63-45 and 62-44 votes, with many Republicans and some Democrats in support. The legislation , which also would regulate the fast-growing paid fantasy sports industry, was sent to the GOP-led Senate for future consideration.

An 8.75% tax would be collected on sports wagering receipts, minus winnings paid out — less than a 19% tax now paid by Detroit’s three commercial casinos. The city of Detroit could also collect an additional 3.25% tax, said Rep. Brandt Iden, the sponsor of the main bills.

The tax rate for online gambling, excluding sports bets, would range between 4% and 19% in the first three years depending on much internet revenue a casino generates. It would rise to 6% to 21% in year four and, in year five and beyond, go to between 8% and 23%. Detroit could collect an extra 3.25% tax.

The state’s 24 tribal casinos also could offer sports and online wagering. Their revenue-sharing payments would be negotiated with the state through compacts.

Iden dismissed Whitmer’s worries that school funding, which comes in part from the Lottery, may be hurt by legalizing sports betting and online gambling. He said the tax rates would be higher than under legislation that former Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed last year.

“The tax rate went north. We got her more than half of what she asked for on both” internet gambling and sports betting, said Iden, a Republican from Kalamazoo County’s Oshtemo Township. “The money was directed to the school aid fund. My directive, from what I had always heard, was ‘protect the school aid fund.’ I believe that these bills did that. So it’s very confusing to me when the governor says they’re not in support.”

Iden estimated the bills, if signed into law, could eventually generate between $80 million and $100 million in new tax revenue annually.

Rep. Rebekah Warren, an Ann Arbor Democrat, voted no after saying the legislation as written would be vetoed. She urged legislators to keep negotiating.

“We continue to have revenue concerns regarding the bills’ negative impacts on the school aid fund,” said Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown. “The administration has taken every meeting we’ve been invited to regarding this legislation and will continue to work closely with the bill sponsor, tribal leadership and stakeholders to attempt to address our concerns.”

Tennessee Online Gambling Bill

Whitmer aides on Wednesday gave House GOP leaders suggested changes to the package, including three options for taxation systems. Under one scenario, rates would differ for online table games vs. online slots. In another, online slots and instant games would not be allowed.

Oklahoma Gambling Bill

Whitmer also called for taxing sports betting and daily fantasy sports operations such as DraftKings and FanDuel at between 10% and 11%.

Iden described the legislation as a consumer protection initiative, noting that sports betting and online gambling already are available at offshore sites.

“We need to make sure that people are being protected,” he said. “People play. We know people play. We’ve got to make sure that the regulations are there.”

The U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 paved the way for all 50 states to allow sports gambling. It is underway in 13 states and has been authorized in five more, according to the American Gaming Association.

At least four states allow their casinos to offer online poker or other forms of internet gambling.

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Online Gambling Legislation Europe

Online:

House Bills 4916-18, 4308-12, 4323 and 4173: http://bit.ly/2NDZMh5

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Louisiana Gambling Bill

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