Which Michigan online casinos are MGCB licensed?

What is the MGCB and why does it matter?

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is the state agency responsible for licensing, regulating, and enforcing gaming laws in Michigan. For online casinos, the MGCB operates under the Lawful Internet Gaming Act (LIGA), Michigan Public Act 152 of 2019.

An MGCB licence matters to players because it means: the operator's software is audited for fairness; the operator holds player funds in a segregated account; responsible gambling tools (deposit limits, self-exclusion, session timers) are mandatory; withdrawal requests must be processed within a defined regulatory window; and the player has recourse to the MGCB in the event of a dispute. Unlicensed offshore casinos offer none of these protections to Michigan players.

Is DraftKings Casino legal in Michigan?

Yes. DraftKings Casino MI is legal in Michigan. DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG) was among the first operators approved by the MGCB when Michigan's online gaming market launched in January 2021. DraftKings holds an MGCB internet gaming licence and operates in compliance with LIGA.

You can verify DraftKings Casino MI's licence status at any time on the MGCB's public register at michigan.gov/mgcb. If you find the operator listed there, it is currently licensed. If you have any doubt, do not deposit until you have confirmed the status directly.

Full list of MGCB-licensed online casino operators we track (2026)

Every MGCB internet gaming licence in Michigan is issued to an online operator paired with a required land-based partner — one of the state's three commercial Detroit casinos or one of Michigan's federally recognised tribal casinos. The ten operators below are the brands Michigan Slots Guide compares; all launched under an active MGCB licence, and each carries the same statutory player protections regardless of brand size.

• BetMGM Michigan — MGM Resorts International / Entain partnership; launched January 2021; MGCB licensed.
• FanDuel Casino MI — Flutter Entertainment; launched January 2021; MGCB licensed.
• DraftKings Casino MI — DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ: DKNG); launched January 2021; MGCB licensed.
• Caesars Palace Online MI — Caesars Entertainment; launched January 2021; MGCB licensed.
• PokerStars Casino MI — Flutter Entertainment; launched January 2021; MGCB licensed.
• Golden Nugget Casino MI — launched January 2021 under Golden Nugget Online Gaming, since acquired by DraftKings Inc. (2022); MGCB licensed.
• BetRivers Casino MI — Rush Street Interactive; launched February 2021; MGCB licensed.
• Hard Rock Casino MI (Hard Rock Bet) — Hard Rock International, a Seminole Tribe of Florida subsidiary, partnered via the Hannahville/Island Resort MGCB relationship; MGCB licensed.
• Barstool Casino MI — Penn Interactive; note: Penn Entertainment has since rebranded this product line to ESPN BET and, in some reporting, theScore Bet — verify the operator's currently active consumer brand before depositing.
• Bally Casino MI — Bally's Corporation; Michigan launch status has conflicting public reporting — verify directly with the operator and on the MGCB register before relying on this entry.

Minimum age and geolocation requirements to play

Michigan law sets the minimum age to gamble — online or retail, casino or sports betting — at 21. Every MGCB-licensed operator must verify a new player's identity and date of birth (KYC) before activating real-money play; a government-issued photo ID is the standard requirement. There is no exception for 18–20-year-olds, unlike some other US regulated markets that permit 18+ for certain bet types.

Separately, and just as strictly enforced, MGCB-licensed operators must confirm a player is physically located inside Michigan's state lines at the moment of play — not merely that they hold a Michigan billing address. This is done through geolocation technology combining device IP analysis with GPS or Wi-Fi triangulation, and it runs continuously through a session, not just at login. Location services must stay enabled on your device; travel outside Michigan, even briefly to a neighbouring state, will block access to real-money play at every MGCB-licensed operator until you return. No operator is permitted to carve out an exception for Michigan residents temporarily out of state.

Michigan's self-exclusion programmes: Disassociated Persons List vs. Responsible Gaming Database

Michigan actually runs two distinct self-exclusion mechanisms, and it is worth being precise about which is which. The Disassociated Persons List (DPL) is the older, statewide programme: enrolling bars you from every MGCB-licensed casino in Michigan, online and retail (physical casino floors) alike, for a single fixed term of five years — the DPL does not offer a shorter option, and it cannot be shortened once you enrol. The newer Internet Gaming and Sports Betting Responsible Gaming Database (RGD) is online-only: it excludes you from MGCB-licensed internet gaming and sports betting specifically (not retail casino floors), and it offers a choice between a one-year or a five-year term.

Both programmes are administered by the MGCB, both require a signed application form (available at michigan.gov/mgcb), and every MGCB-licensed operator is legally required to check against both lists and close or restrict an enrolled player's account — an operator cannot refuse a valid self-exclusion request. If you are considering self-exclusion, the RGD's one-year online-only option is the lighter-touch entry point; the DPL is the broader, five-year statewide measure. Neither programme currently offers a lifetime option in Michigan — treat any claim otherwise as out of date and verify current terms directly on the MGCB's self-exclusion forms page before applying.

The MGCB's withdrawal-timing rule — another concrete player protection

Beyond software fairness and fund segregation, an MGCB licence carries a specific, enforceable timing obligation: licensed operators and their platform providers must process a player's valid withdrawal request within 10 business days. This is not a courtesy target — in 2024 the MGCB issued a compliance memo to licensees after an investigation found some operators were failing to meet the window and were not properly notifying players of the reason for a delay. An operator may pause a specific payout for a legitimate cause, most commonly a suspected terms-of-service breach or an active fraud investigation, but it must formally open that review and communicate with the affected player rather than simply going silent. If a Michigan operator misses the window without explanation, you can escalate the complaint to the MGCB directly.

How to verify an MGCB licence before you deposit

The only reliable way to confirm an operator is MGCB-licensed is to check the MGCB's official public register at michigan.gov/mgcb. Marketing badges on a casino's website are not proof; the register is. If an operator is not on the MGCB's list, do not deposit real money.

Bottom line: Michigan has one of the most consumer-protective online gaming frameworks in the United States. Stick to MGCB-licensed operators only, verify on the official register, confirm you meet the 21+ and in-state geolocation requirements, and use responsible gambling tools if you need them. Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-522-4700 (free, 24/7).

Sources & further reading

• Michigan Gaming Control Board — licence register
• Michigan Public Act 152 of 2019 — Lawful Internet Gaming Act
• Michigan Gaming Control Board — self-exclusion forms (Disassociated Persons List + Responsible Gaming Database)
• Michigan Gaming Control Board — internet gaming and sports betting account-withdrawal compliance memo (26/08/2024)
• Michigan Gaming Control Board — player information