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Another tribal casino in Michigan, the Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, has recently revealed its plans for a partnership in iGaming and sports betting, marking another significant development in the state.
The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi has partnered with Scientific Games, a Las Vegas-based company, to offer a range of products. This collaboration includes online and retail operations, specifically focusing on sports betting.
What this means for the Firekeepers Casino in Michigan
Being one of the pioneers in this aspect, Firekeepers has successfully closed the deal, positioning the casino as one of the frontrunners to introduce the three newly legalized forms of gaming in Michigan.
Despite the remaining tasks at hand, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band gains an advantage over its competitors who are still in the process of negotiating similar agreements.
However, Firekeepers should be prepared to submit their license applications as soon as the Michigan Gaming Control Board releases them for casinos venturing into these new verticals.
Scientific Games can commence its work while the board reviews the applications, with immediate attention directed towards making the retail sportsbook at the casino functional.
Michigan is currently aiming to debut brick-and-mortar sportsbooks during March Madness 2020, although this plan is unofficial and may be modified. The introduction of iGaming and online sports betting might follow after a few months.
Both companies will likely be busy in the next two months as they are unlikely to wait until they hear from the board before organizing the event.
The road ahead for Scientific Games’ foray into Michigan
Firekeepers will soon begin the process of identifying and commencing renovations on physical space for the retail sportsbook, with significant involvement from representatives of Scientific Games.
Scientific Games will dedicate their efforts to ensure Firekeepers has a product that meets both Michigan’s regulations and the preferences of the casino’s customers. This will be achieved while engineers perform computations and crews install drywall. The given timeframe of two months should be sufficient.
Firekeepers will be granted a date to commence accepting in-person wagers once the premises undergo renovations, the software is prepared, and the MGCB conducts inspections to ensure satisfaction.
Even though online betting is more profitable, there is a certain advantage in being one of the pioneers to introduce legal sports betting in a market. Currently, tribal casinos in Michigan are leading the way ahead of their commercial counterparts.
Why sportsbook operators might go tribal first
Tribal casinos operate on sovereign lands, granting them exemption from state laws except for those included in local agreements. Although these compacts may vary among tribes, the primary regulations governing gambling on tribal territories are federal laws.
As mentioned earlier, the handle for online sportsbooks is significantly larger than retail action. This factor could potentially make tribal casinos highly appealing.
The legal situation regarding online gambling for tribes with federal gaming compacts has been unclear, but there is currently a bill in Congress that aims to provide a definitive answer. If this bill is passed and becomes law, tribal casinos would have the freedom to offer online sports betting according to their own conditions.
For companies like Scientific Games, this could potentially result in a greater return on investment. Regardless of whether this potential is achieved or not, the deal is advantageous for both companies, making it a worthwhile risk.
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