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The online casino gambling and sports betting industry experienced a favorable election night in Michigan.
Although online gaming legislation was not included in the ballot in Michigan, its future may have been at stake.
Rep. Brandt Iden, a strong advocate for online gaming legislation in the state, found himself in a fiercely contested battle to retain his seat. Fortunately, he managed to secure a narrow victory, much to the relief of both himself and supporters of online gambling. The race was incredibly tight, with Iden only able to confidently declare his win on Wednesday morning.
Attorney General Bill Schuette, who was one of the state’s most outspoken opponents of online gambling, failed in his attempt to become the governor.
Finally, last week witnessed two noteworthy outcomes that may potentially facilitate the enactment of online gaming legislation.
Where is the status of online gaming legislation?
In the early part of this year, the Lawful Internet Gaming Act was successfully passed by the Michigan House of Representatives with a solid majority of 68-40. Subsequently, the legislative body took a break for the summer, and currently, the bill awaits consideration by the Senate.
Although facing a more challenging path to approval, the bill gains the backing of State Sen. Mike Kowall, who appears equally determined as Iden to achieve its passage.
The possibility of delivering the bill to the governor’s desk before the year’s end was a topic of discussion. Achieving this goal would necessitate passing significant legislation during a lame-duck session.
The sense of urgency arose from two main factors. Firstly, if Schuette were to assume the role of governor, it was highly likely that he would veto the bill. Secondly, extensive turnover in both chambers, caused by term limits, would necessitate restarting the process of coalition building if the decision was delayed until the following year.
Is that sense of urgency still present? It is difficult to determine with certainty. Since the fall, there has been no progress on the bill. However, the situation might change now that the polls have closed. It appears that the legislature is rapidly approaching a deadline to accomplish their goals before the year ends.
After the 2018 election, what’s next?
Legal online sports betting still faces a few more obstacles, assuming the Lawful Internet Gaming Act manages to pass by the end of the year, which is uncertain.
At the time, Iden, the bill’s sponsor, acknowledged that the language used was insufficient for sports betting and that further legislation would be necessary.
This situation comes with its own set of challenges, primarily the task of aligning the interests of Detroit’s commercial casinos and the Tribal casinos.
If the Lawful Internet Gaming Act fails to be approved by the Senate before the year ends, Iden will need to begin anew in 2019.
Iden has dedicated countless hours to the legislation, putting in relentless effort. It would likely be a tremendous letdown for him if it fails to progress.
With Iden safely returned to the House and one of the state’s most influential opponents of online gambling lacking the power to block it, the future looks promising for legal online casino gambling and sports betting in Michigan.
Alternatively, it can be said that the outcome would have been even more favorable if a few closely contested election races had resulted differently.
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