It’s been an interesting couple of weeks for Michigan’s gambling business and bettors, with some good news and some surprises too. With gambling an increasing presence in the American economy, the sector is an important one to monitor as now employs hundreds of thousands of people and pays billions in taxes.
That includes a notable sportsbook closing down, a senate bill that is looking to curb gambling advertising in the state and the latest updates on sportsbook’s revenues and taxes.
ESPN Bet Closing Down - What You Need to Know
Undoubtedly, the biggest news of the month for Michigan bettors has been the announcement that Penn Entertainment’s ESPN Bet will be closing at the start of December.
The gambling operator and the sports broadcaster and media brand signed a 10-year deal in August 2023 to collaborate on the sportsbook. It became the most downloaded sportsbook app in America in it’s first month, but struggled to make back the money it spent on exorbitant promotions to attract initial custom.
The partnership is now over, and ESPN Bet will be closing its virtual doors on December 1. Penn Entertainment will be migrating players over to its own rebranded theScore Bet.
If you were an ESPN Bet customer and you’re not that interested in The Score, there are plenty of other Michigan Sportsbooks still available. Check out a comprehensive guide to the best options before you jump in, to ensure you pick a sportsbook that fits your betting patterns.
The ESPN Bet retail sportsbook at Penn’s Hollywood Casino in Greektown, Detroit, will also likely now be rebranded. DraftKings wasted no time in announcing it had signed a partnership deal with ESPN for advertising across the ESPN network.
Senate Bill Introduced to Cut Down on Gambling Advertising
Fresh off the press this week, Michigan 1st Senate District Senator Erika Geiss introduced a bill to increase regulation on gambling advertising in the state.
Senate Bill 714 seeks to add clauses to existing sports betting regulation that mean:
- Any sports betting advert must be pre-approved by the Michigan Gaming Control Board
- Any print media or broadcast advert has to be submitted with evidence that no more than 30% of the ads audience is expected to be under 21
The bill is still in pre-approval, but it has four other sponsors besides Geiss. It isn’t clear what wider support it has at this stage.
The MGCB is already considered one of the strongest but also strictest regulators in the US, so it will be interesting to see if politicians see further regulation as a priority towards the end of the 2025 legislative session.
Detroit’s Casinos Had a Good Month - Sports Bettors Did Well Too
Last year was a record October for Michigan sports betting, and many expect 2025 to be similarly exciting. Stats for that aren’t in yet - they come out later this month. But figures from Detroit show that it could have been a rough month for the ‘books.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has released the October revenue and tax figures for the three Detroit casinos and their sports betting operations.
Between the three Detroit casinos - MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino Greektown - they made $107.4 million in revenues and paid $21.7 million in state and city taxes.
The three casinos retail sportsbooks saw a total handle of $13.5 million in bets, of which they kept $1.6 million. Handle was up on October 2024, but revenues were down - suggesting Michigan’s bettors had a good month against the books.
Upset results that could have swung the handle included the Denver Broncos beating the New York Giants in the NFL with a last second field goal.
Michigan Basketball Coach Isn’t a Fan of Sports Betting
The Michigan Wolverines college basketball team are heading to Las Vegas soon for the Player’s Era Festival tournament, which takes place over November 24 - 26 at MGM Grand Garden Arena on the Las Vegas Strip.
However, head coach Dusty May is apparently not a fan of sports betting. Speaking to the media this week from Ann Arbor, May told reporters that he tells his team and coaching staff to stay as far away from any kind of gambling as possible.
He said he was well aware of the controversial gambling stories of recent years in college baseball. Meaning he never gives out team information to anyone - even seemingly innocent questions from friends and family - as you never know might be planning to put a bet on it.
May also added that last season he sporadically received Venmo requests for compensation from irate losing bettors, angry at his tactical decisions that cost them on prop bets. Which he ignored.
The Wolverines are set to play San Diego State on November 24 in Paradise, Nevada (Las Vegas) at 7:30 PM.