Michigan Online Casinos: Best MI Online Casino Offers in 2023

The legal Michigan gambling market often flies under the radar in the US, but the Great Lakes State has one of the most robust online casino markets in the country. In addition to the over 25 retail casinos, there are over a dozen legal Michigan online casinos.

Legal online casinos are a new addition to the Michigan market, so not everyone is up to speed on what they have to offer. If you are wanting to learn more, we have you covered. This guide covers everything there is to know about online casinos and the growing Michigan gambling market.

Keep reading to learn about the best MI online casinos, Michigan casino bonuses, and Michigan online casino apps.

As you would expect from a Midwest state, the history of legal Michigan online casinos is not a very long one. Online gambling has been illegal for much of Michigan’s history. In fact, almost all forms of gambling were illegal in Michigan for most of the 20th Century.

Michigan residents had to get their gambling fill across the border at Canadian casinos. This changed slightly in the early 1990s when Native American tribes were allowed to open casinos on tribal lands.

Momentum for legalization finally hit a fever point in the mid-90s. The Great Lakes State formally legalized retail casino gambling in 1996. However, this was only after federal intervention through national tribal laws, intense competition from Canadian casinos, and pressure from Native American tribes in the state. All these things were necessary to convince the Michigan legislature and voters to change Michigan gambling laws.

It would take nearly another quarter century after 1996 before Michigan's online gambling law would change. Online casinos and sports betting in the state would not be legalized until 2019. It took another two years of planning before MI online casinos would actually go live in the state.

Since 2021, several Michigan online casinos have gone live and many more are expected to in the coming years. A major reason for this is that the state has been very proactive in pursuing online casinos and growing its own industry. For example, in 2022, Michigan officially joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which made some of its casinos legal in other states and allowed in new MI online casinos.

Responsible Gambling

As the Michigan online gambling law changed, so did the number of available responsible gambling resources in the state. There are now many gambling addiction resources as well as traditional state medical care resources a person can use to seek help.

One of the best resources offered in the Great Lakes State is run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). MDHHS maintains a toll-free helpline that is available 24/7. Call 1-800-270-7117 if you would like to speak to MDHHS about you or someone you know gambling.

The MDHHS website also provides useful links and information to national and international responsible gambling resources, such as Gam-Anon, Gamblers Anonymous, and the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Trust Signals

Here at Casinoostar.com, we only recommend legal online casinos. All MI online casinos we recommend in this article and every other online casino you might read about on our site have been thoroughly reviewed by our casino experts to ensure that they are safe, reliable, and secure.

📰1933 – Michigan legalizes parimutuel bets for horse racing betting

📰1972 – Michigan voters approved by a 2-1 margin the creation of the Michigan State Lottery.

📰1972 – The “Bingo Act” legalizes charitable gambling in the form of bingo, raffles, and other informal forms of betting. The act also legalizes licensed bingo halls.

📰1980’s – Federal Indian law begins to take shape and Michigan tribes begin operating high-stakes bingo halls on tribal lands.

📰1993 – The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe opened the first tribal casino in Michigan. More Indian casinos open soon after only offering electronic games.

📰1994 – The Caesars Windsor Casino opens in Windsor, Ontario, just across the Detroit River in Canada. The Windsor begins attracting customers from all over Michigan, leading voters to rethink the state’s gambling ban

📰1996 – Michigan voters approve Proposal E, allowing for three new casinos to be built in Detroit

📰1999 – The first retail casinos in Detroit open.

📰2021 – Michigan legalizes online sports betting and Michigan online casinos.

Michigan did not legalize online casinos until 2021. The market was quick to react to this news, and several legal Michigan online casinos are now available across the state. To help you figure out which ones are worth your time, we have compiled a list of the best Michigan online casinos.

See below to learn about these MI online casinos. Specifically, we cover what we like and do not like about these online casinos and the Michigan casino bonuses offered by each.

FanDuel Casino

If you are a sports fan, you have heard of FanDuel. The company made its name as a daily fantasy sports site and later as an online sportsbook. What you might not have known about FanDuel is that it also operates a great online casino.

FanDuel Casino was one of the first casino sites to come to Michigan all the way back in 2021. That was the same year FanDuel launched its casino, meaning the site has grown alongside the Michigan gambling industry.

The success of the FanDuel casino comes down to a few things. One of them is the casino site’s great layout. Whether using their mobile casino app or desktop site, playing at FanDuel casino is a fun and easy experience.

If there is one thing FanDuel can improve on it is their welcome bonus. Instead of matching your first deposit or giving you a no-deposit bonus, FanDuel will reimburse all losses within your first 24 hours of playing on their site, up to $1,000. They also threw in 50 free spins. The monetary value of this bonus stacks up with the competition, but it is a slightly convoluted process.

DraftKings

DraftKings is another familiar name for sports fans that has now entered the online casino space. The fantasy and sports betting site launched its online casino in May 2022. This makes them one of the newest names in the world of Michigan online casinos. Despite their lack of experience, DraftKings has a lot to offer.

The best feature of DraftKings Casino is its huge number of exclusive online casino games. Having exclusive titles is rare at Michigan online casinos, so we give a lot of kudos to DraftKings for having so many.

In addition to the exclusive games, DraftKings Casino has over 500 other Michigan online casino games. These games range from slots to live casino games, table tables, video poker, and everything in between. The standouts in the DraftKings online casino library are the progressive jackpot games. There are dozens of games where you not only get the chance to win real money, but also get the chance to win huge, multi-million-dollar jackpots.

To help you get off on the right foot, DraftKings allows new players a choice between two very generous welcome bonus. DraftKings Casino will either match 100% of your first casino deposit up to $500, or they will refund your losses from the first 24 hours of gaming up to $1,000

Caesars Casino

Caesars is one of the biggest casino brands in the US and Canada. In fact, it is widely recognized that the opening of Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario in 1994 is what spurred the legalization of retail casinos in Michigan. With this being the case, it makes sense that Caesars was one of the first MI online casinos.

The international brand came to the Great Lakes State just months after changes to the Michigan online gambling law came into effect in 2021. Caesars has continued to grow its brand in Michigan and is now one of the top online casinos.

The Caesars online casino site has over 800 casino games. This is more online casino games than you will find at most other Michigan online casinos. However, quantity is not the only important thing, Caesars casino games are also very high-quality.

The final thing we like about Caesars is its welcome bonus. We think it ranks near the top of all Michigan casino bonuses. New players will have 100% of their first deposit matched up to $2,500. Additionally, when you wager $25+, you receive 2500 Reward Credits®.

BetRivers Casino

BetRivers should be a name familiar to experienced online casino players in Michigan. The site is one of the biggest Canadian betting brands and fastest-growing MI online casinos following the legalization of sports betting and legal online gambling in the state.

While BetRivers has much going for it, we cannot ignore some of the negatives. Compared to FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, and the other MI online casinos on our list, the BetRivers online casino has a fairly basic layout. It is still nice site, it is not as sleek as some other online casinos.

Besides the user interface, BetRivers is a very good online casino. With over 200 slot games, a live casino, and a wide selection of tables, and video poker games, we cannot complain about much.

Additionally, BetRivers has a solid welcome bonus. If you sign up in Michigan now, BetRivers will reimburse your losses up to $500. Keep in mind, this only applies to losses you accrue within the first 24 hours after you create your BetRivers account.

BetMGM Casino

BetMGM Casino is another very reputable casino brand available online to you in Michigan. BetMGM is of course owned by MGM Resorts, which owns and operates some of the biggest casinos in the world.

Our favorite thing about BetMGM is its loyalty program. By playing online at BetMGM casino in Michigan, you can earn rewards points redeemable at MGM Resorts locations worldwide.

Our second favorite thing is the BetMGM app. Its casino app is one of the best Michigan online casino apps thanks to its streamlined design. The best thing is that nothing is lost from the desktop site to the mobile version. All games, bonuses, and great MGM features are available at your fingertips.

Speaking of bonuses, if you join BetMGM now, the casino will match 100% of your first deposit up to $1,000. You will also get $25 in casino credit and 50 free spins instantly.

Golden Nugget Casino

Golden Nugget is probably our list's most low-profile online casino. Unless you are a very experienced Michigan online casino player or someone who has spent a lot of time in Atlantic City, we would not be surprised if Golden Nugget is completely new to you.

The Atlantic City online casino actually came to Michigan in January 2021, making it an early entrant into the Michigan gambling market. However, Golden Nugget kept a fairly low profile until recently when it signed a deal with DraftKings.

The site is very popular in New Jersey thanks to its huge online casino games library, simple website, and big welcome bonus. It is only a matter of time before Golden Nugget becomes one of the biggest MI online casinos.

If you have not tried out Golden Nugget yet, you can do so now and get 100% of your first deposit matched up to $1,000. You will also get $10 in casino credits and 200 free spins just for signing up.

Social Casinos

Michigan's online gambling law puts no restrictions on social casinos. This means playing at any of the well-established social casinos while in Michigan is completely legal.

Michigan is one of few states to have fully embraced legal online gambling. That said, there are still areas where the state is figuring out how to manage the Michigan gambling industry. Congress and voters are constantly considering how they can grow the industry in a way to helps the state while minimizing the harm to young people and vulnerable communities.

However, unlike some other states, Michigan is not currently planning on making any radical changes to the Michigan online gambling law. If the state ever changes its mind, we will cover it thoroughly, so be sure to regularly check in at Casinoostar.com for all the latest Michigan online casino news and updates.

What’s next

While Michigan is not currently planning any major changes to its online gambling law, we have some predictions about what is next for the Great Lakes State.

One of the major things we expect to see in coming years is the expansion of the number of Michigan online casinos. At the time of writing, there are over less than a dozen reputable MI online casinos. As the Michigan gambling industry matures and more states legalize online gambling, more online casinos will come to Michigan.

So far in this Michigan online casinos guide, we have talked a lot about the Michigan online gambling sector specifically and even took a close look at several of the best MI online casinos. Now, we will look at online casinos more generally so that you know what to expect before starting with Michigan online casinos. 

💰 Bonuses and Promotions:

All the best online casinos will offer you a welcome bonus. The beauty of these bonuses is that they are different from casino to casino. Each casino site is vying for your attention and your money, which means they are always trying to one-up each other. This is great for you because it means you get to choose which bonus is best for you. 

If you do not know much about welcome bonuses, here is a summary of the common Michigan casino bonuses you might come across:

• First Deposit Bonuses: First deposit bonuses reward you for making a big deposit early by matching your first deposit in free casino credits. The most generous first deposit bonus among online casinos is probably DraftKings, which will match 100% of your first deposit, up to $2,000.
• No Deposit Bonuses: No deposit bonuses are pretty much the opposite of first deposit bonuses. If you cannot tell from the name, you do not need to make a deposit to earn a no-deposit bonus. Once you create your account, funds will automatically be deposited into your account.
• Cashback bonuses: Cashback bonuses are very simple and complicated at the same time. Instead of getting your bonus when you create your account or make your first deposit, you get your bonus credits once you lose money at the online casino. Take the FanDuel cashback bonus for example. FanDuel will reimburse any losses you accrue during your first 24 hours with the site, up to $1,000.

Now that you know about the type of bonuses available, here are the best Michigan casino bonuses currently on offer:

• FanDuel - $1,000 cashback bonus + 50 free spins
• DraftKings - 100% first deposit match up to $500 OR $1,000 24-hour cash back bonus
• Caesars - 100% first deposit match up to $1,000 + $10 no deposit bonus + 2500 Reward Credits® when you wager $25+
• BetRivers - $500 cashback bonus
• BetMGM - 100% first deposit match up to $1,000 + $25 no deposit bonus + 50 free spins
• Golden Nugget - 100% first deposit match up to $1,000. + $10 no deposit bonus.

The last thing you need to know about casino bonuses is wagering requirements. These are hurdles online casinos put on promo funds that you must get over before you can withdraw those funds.  Let’s say a $50 promo has a 20x wagering requirement. To withdraw that bonus, you need to play through $1000.

🎰 Games:

Once you get past the welcome bonuses, the next thing you need to know a lot about are the online casino games available at online casinos.

Most Michigan online casinos will mostly offer slot games. In some cases, nearly every game will be a slot game. In other cases, a casino site will have just as many table games, video poker games, live casino games, and variety games as they do slots.

You will see casinos with hundreds or even thousands of online casino games, so you have to keep in mind that not all games are created equally. Some games will have a higher Return to Player (RTP) than others, which means they have a higher chance of paying out real money.

Additionally, less reputable sites will have rigged games. You should avoid these at all costs. Be sure to be on the lookout for red flags and do your research reading casino guides and what other players have to say.

💸Banking:

The last factor to consider before you get started at Michigan online casinos is banking. Payment methods vary from casino to casino, but there are some commonly accepted Michigan online casino deposit methods you should be able to use everywhere.

These methods include:

• Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards: This payment method is very fast, convenient, widely accepted, and accessible for most players. One downside to this payment method is that debit and credit cards are not commonly accepted as withdrawal methods.
• E-wallets: This category ranges from big-name e-wallets, like PayPal and Apple Pay, to small brands you have never heard of. As a general payment method, e-wallets are just as quick as Visa and MasterCard for deposits with the added benefit of being accepted as a withdrawal method at many online casinos. Unfortunately, e-wallets commonly have transaction fees.
• Direct bank transfers: This is the safest, but also the slowest payment method. Whether you are making a deposit or withdrawal, expect to wait at least one business day. With that being said, bank transfers are the ideal method for large transactions.

🖼️ Platform Features:

The features we discussed above are things we think you must consider before starting at Michigan online casinos. In addition to those, there are other online casino features we recommend you consider.

Michigan online casino apps are becoming increasingly popular. If you see yourself being a person who plays on the go, you should pick an online casino with a good casino app. If you can access the app without an account, you should download it and see how it looks for yourself. You can also read casino guides, like the many we publish at Casinoostar.com, and other consumer reviews. You should be looking for mobile compatibility, exclusive bonuses, and differences between mobile and desktop platforms.

Another feature you should consider is the casino site’s user interface. A good user interface is nice to have. A bad user interface can make an online casino unusable.

The last thing we need to cover is how to create your Michigan online casino account. As you would expect, you need to do this before you can play at all Michigan online casinos.

See below for a step-by-step guide creating a Michigan online casino account:

• Go to the official online casino site
• Click on the "Sign Up" or "Register" button.
• Fill in the required personal details.
• Opt-in to any welcome bonuses and/or enter your casino promo code (if necessary)
• Make your first deposit
• Start playing

Those six steps are all you need to do to get started with a Michigan online casino. With that being said, there are some additional things you should know beforehand. We will cover those in the section below. 

Pre-Registration Essentials and Recommendations

Playing at Michigan online casinos is super easy, but it is not for everyone. See below for the requirements you need to meet and our best tips for gambling at MI online casinos.

🔑 Key Requirements:

You must be 21 years old or older to gamble at online casinos in Michigan. Additionally, you must be physically located in the state. You do not need to be a Michigan resident, but some casinos may ask for additional documentation about your identity. This may include proof of address, a copy of your government ID, and/or banking information.

🤝 Our Tips and Best Practices:

No matter how experienced you are, there are things you can do to make your online casino experience safer and therefore more enjoyable. Here are some of the things we recommend:

• Start slow: Do not rush into the high-stakes games. Consider starting with free games to get a feel for what the online casino offers.
• Set limits: All good Michigan online casinos will allow you to set time, spending, and wagering limits when you create your account. Setting limits is a great way to keep your gambling in control.
• Familiarize yourself with casino customer support: Getting to know an online casino’s customer support options will be very useful if you ever experience any problems with the casino at a later date. Additionally, reviewing the customer support section may teach you something you did not know you needed to know.

👩🏻‍💻Customer support

Like many of the other features we have discussed in this guide, customer support options vary in quality greatly between online casinos. Some online casinos offer a full set of customer support resources for you to use, such as a dedicated phone number, email address, 24/7 live chat, and a comprehensive help center with FAQ’s and casino guides. These kinds of casinos are becoming rarer and rarer.

Most Michigan online casinos will just have one or two of these resources. Dedicated email addresses are the most common customer support resource. 24/7 live chats are also common, but they are increasingly being replaced with AI chatbots.