Is Poker legal in Michigan? Online & Live Poker Laws in MI

Both online and live poker are legal in Michigan. From an online perspective, it is one of six states to have licensed and regulated poker sites in operation, joining Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Thanks to the state's 2019 legalization of online gambling and its participation in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), Michigan players enjoy access to a broader player pool and bigger tournaments.

In this article, we’ll explain how and where to playlegal poker in Michigan, cover the latest operators, and break down Michigan’s poker laws, history, and tax rules.

Is Poker Legal in Michigan?

Yes! You can legally play poker in Michigan, both online and in a brick-and-mortar card room. Michigan is becoming one of the top places for poker in the United States and the industry is booming. Even better, it’s continuing to grow and will likely expand even further in popularity in the coming years.

Can I Play Online Poker in Michigan?

Yes. Online poker became legal in Michigan in December 2019 when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 4311 into law. The first online poker rooms launched in early 2021. As of 2025, Michigan is part of the MSIGA, enabling shared liquidity with Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Nevada.

Legal operators in the state include PokerStars MI, BetMGM Poker MI, WSOP MI, and, as of summer 2025, BetRivers Poker MI. These platforms allow people located in Michigan to compete in ring games and tournaments with players from other MSIGA states.

Can I Play Live Poker in Michigan?

Yes. Live poker is widely available in Michigan, with dozens of poker rooms operating within commercial and tribal casinos. The most prominent venues offer daily cash games and weekly tournaments. We'll give you more info about some of the most popular venues later on in this article.

Michigan Gambling Laws - Current Situation

Michigan legalized online gambling in December 2019 under the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. This legislation authorized online poker, casino games, and sports betting. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) oversees licensing and regulation. The state joined MSIGA in May 2022, significantly boosting its online poker ecosystem by allowing interstate player pooling.

Retail casinos have been legal in Michigan since 1997, including tribal casinos and Detroit's commercial properties. Both online and live gambling are taxed and closely regulated.

Tax on Poker in Michigan

Poker winnings, both live and online, are taxable in Michigan. Residents must report gambling income on both federal and state returns. Operators typically issue W-2G forms for large wins, and players are advised to maintain detailed records.

Safe & Responsible Gambling in Michigan

Poker should be fun, so it’s important to play responsibly. All licensed poker sites in Michigan provide tools to help players stay in control, including deposit limits, timeouts, and self-exclusion options.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board also supports several state-wide resources like the Disassociated Persons Program and Responsible Gaming Database. Players seeking help can contact 1-800-270-7117 for 24/7 confidential support through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Find out more with the PokerNews guide to Responsible Gambling.

Michigan Poker History (Timeline)

The history of online poker in Michigan is quite interesting, albeit a little frustrating in the early years for residents of the state who couldn’t legally play cards on the internet for quite some time. Let’s take a look at the timeline of events.

• Retail Casinos Legalized (1997)

  Michigan authorizes commercial casino gaming in Detroit, expanding gambling options in the state.

• Online Poker Grows (early 2000s)

  Although not technically legal during its infancy stages in the 2000s, there were some popular poker sites, albeit unregulated ones, such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker that were available to players in Michigan.

• Black Friday (April 15, 2011)

  The online poker landscape changed for the worse on April 15, 2011, dubbed “Black Friday” when the US Department of Justice shut all the top poker sites down. This was also the last day for many years online poker was available to Michiganders outside of some shady sites.

• Poker Bill Introduced (2016)

  Although a couple other states had already pushed through online poker legislation and had legal poker sites in operation, it wasn’t until 2016 before Michigan finally proposed a bill to legalize internet poker in the state. Unfortunately, however, the measure was unsuccessful, but it did get the ball rolling.

• Poker Bill Signed into Law (December 20, 2019)

  December 20, 2019 was a memorable day for poker players in Michigan as Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law the state’s first ever online poker bill.

• Online Poker Launches (January 2021)

  PokerStars becomes thefirst online poker site to go live in Michigan.

• MSIGA Membership (May 2022)

  Michigan joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, allowing online poker sites to share player pools. Check out our guide to the best online poker sites in Michigan.

Play Legal Real Money Poker in Michigan

Playing legal poker online or at licensed venues is easy and safe in Michigan. In the following sections, we’ll walk you through exactly how to get started.

First, we’ll look at your options for legal online poker, including the latest sites and tournament offerings. Then, we’ll highlight the best places to play live poker in-person at trusted Michigan casinos.

How to Play Legal Online Poker in Michigan

Players in Michigan can legally join real-money poker games on licensed sites including PokerStars, WSOP, BetMGM Poker, and BetRivers. These platforms offer ring games, sit & gos, and major tournaments.

Michigan Online Poker Operators Comparison

How to Play Legal Live Poker in Michigan

Live poker is thriving across Michigan, with dozens of venues offering daily cash games, tournaments, vibrant poker scenes and much more besides. Here we go through some of the more popular choices.

FireKeepers Casino (Battle Creek)

Open daily from 9 AM to 4 AM, this spacious 21-table room features cash games across multiple stakes and a robust tournament schedule. It hosts major series like the Mid‑States Poker Tour (MSPT) with $1 million guarantees and offers tournaments every day of the week. It's the ideal place for poker players looking for consistency.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort (Mt. Pleasant)

Featuring an 18-table poker room, Soaring Eagle runs daily cash games (including $1/$2 NLHE and $4/$8 PLO) and weekly Texas Hold'em tournaments, complete with bad beat jackpots.

MGM Grand Detroit (Detroit)

With nine poker tables, MGM Grand offers cash games in NLHE and PLO, plus regular small-stakes bounty tournaments: $120 buy-ins midweek, $220 on weekends. It was voted the best poker room in the area in 2024 and looking into it, it's clear to see why. With on-going promotions galore, an extensive offering and lucrative rewards, MGM Grand Detroit is a great option for poker enthusiasts.

MotorCity Casino Hotel (Detroit)

A go-to for poker in Detroit, this venue offers cash and tournament games across two dedicated poker rooms, inside its 59‑table gaming floor.

Additionally, there are many smaller rooms and tribal properties that often run local poker action for casual and tournament players.

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