Sweepstakes Casinos in Michigan (2026)

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Michigan?

No. Michigan has no sweepstakes-specific statute, but the Michigan Gaming Control Board treats dual-currency sweepstakes casinos as unlicensed internet gaming, and every major brand has left the state. Michigan legalised real-money online casinos, poker and sports betting with the Lawful Internet Gaming Act (Act 152 of 2019), and the regulated market launched on January 22, 2021. The MGCB’s position is straightforward: offering casino-style games for prizes over the internet to Michigan residents requires a licence under that Act, and no sweepstakes operator holds one. The Michigan Penal Code (MCL 750.301 to 750.315) supplies the general gambling prohibitions, and the free-entry argument that operators rely on elsewhere has never been tested in a Michigan court.

Enforcement began in 2023. Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office investigated Golden Hearts Games from 2021, sent it a cease-and-desist letter in 2022 and, faced with a lawsuit under the Lawful Internet Gaming Act and the Consumer Protection Act, the company signed an Assurance of Discontinuance filed in Ingham County Circuit Court on September 1, 2023. The MGCB followed with cease-and-desist letters to PredictionStrike (October 19, 2023), Stake.us (November 2, 2023) and VGW LuckyLand Inc. (December 5, 2023). VGW withdrew Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker from Michigan on February 1, 2024, and the remaining brands geo-blocked the state over the following year. We are not lawyers, and none of the casinos in our national list accepts Michigan players.

Timeline

• December 2019: the Lawful Internet Gaming Act is signed, creating a licensed online casino market.
• January 22, 2021: online casinos and sportsbooks go live.
• September 1, 2023: Golden Hearts Games signs an Assurance of Discontinuance and stops serving Michigan; the Attorney General announces it on September 12.
• October 19 to December 5, 2023: MGCB cease-and-desist letters to PredictionStrike, Stake.us and VGW.
• November 2023: VGW announces it will stop accepting Michigan players, with prize claims closing on February 1, 2024.
• February 2024: the Attorney General issues consumer guidance urging residents to use only MGCB-licensed operators.
• May 2024: Bovada exits Michigan after an MGCB demand.
• 2025: further letters, including to One Country over lottery-style memberships in February and to five offshore casinos on June 13, 2025.
• April 7, 2026: the MGCB reports cease-and-desist orders to 45 offshore operators over four months, confirming that enforcement continues.
• 2026: no bill to authorise or regulate sweepstakes casinos has advanced in the Legislature; none is needed for the MGCB to act.

How Michigan law treats sweepstakes and gambling

• Lawful Internet Gaming Act: only the three Detroit casinos and federally recognised tribes may hold internet gaming operator licences, each partnered with a platform provider. Offering internet gaming without a licence is a felony under the Act.
• Michigan Penal Code: MCL 750.301 to 750.315 prohibit accepting bets, keeping gambling rooms and related conduct.
• Players: neither the MGCB nor the Attorney General has pursued players. The practical risk is losing access to an account and any balance when an operator leaves.
• Enforcement path: the MGCB gives 14 days to comply with a cease-and-desist letter, then refers the operator to the Attorney General.
• Social casinos: free-play sites with no redeemable currency, such as the .net social products run by licensed operators, are unaffected.

What Michigan players should check

• Age: 21 for casinos, online casinos and sports betting; 18 for the Lottery. Any legal online gambling in Michigan is 21+.
• Licence status: the MGCB publishes the list of licensed online casinos and sportsbooks. If a site is not on it and offers prizes, it is not authorised.
• Geolocation: departed sweepstakes brands block Michigan by location; a VPN breaches their terms and forfeits balances.
• Taxes: Michigan taxes gambling winnings at its 4.25 percent flat income tax.

Other legal ways to play in Michigan

Michigan is one of the most complete legal markets in the country. Three commercial casinos operate in Detroit: MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown. Twelve federally recognised tribes run more than 20 tribal casinos across the state. Online casinos, online poker and online sports betting have been live since January 2021, with brands including BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetRivers and Golden Nugget. The Michigan Lottery has sold tickets since 1972 and has offered online draw and instant games since 2014. Charitable gaming and pari-mutuel wagering complete the picture.

Staying up to date

We monitor MGCB and Attorney General enforcement, any legislation and every operator’s Michigan policy. This page and the casino list are updated as soon as anything changes; the review date in the header shows when we last checked.