Michigan Online Casinos Top Themselves Yet Again To Start 2023

If you learned nothing else from the movie “Mean Girls,” you should have taken this much away; the limit does not exist. Online Michigan casinos proved the validity of that solution last month by again breaking their record for gross revenue in a month.

Not all the online gambling numbers out of Michigan for January 2023 were as impressive, however. Online sports betting in Michigan took a bit of a hit when compared with how the gaming vertical fared in January 2022.

Online Michigan casinos surge to new record

According to the latest report from the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), Michigan’s 14 online casino/online poker licensees took in over $153.6 million in gross revenue in January. That tops the previous record for a single month of $152.8 million, set in December 2022.

January 2023 is therefore the fourth consecutive month in which Michigan online casinos have broken their revenue records. Furthermore, the total of $153.6 million represents a year-over-year increase of 26%.

As has been the case for a while in Michigan, BetMGM Casino dominated the competition in January. It’s $52.8 million in gros
s revenue accounted for 34.3% of the state’s total. At the same time, it’s unlikely that the streak of record-setting months will continue.

February is a short month, with three fewer days than January in which to pad the numbers. However, Michigan online casinos could still improve their performances from February 2022. A 26% year-over-year January uptick suggests that’s likely.

It’s difficult to say the same for online sportsbooks in Michigan.

Bets, win both down compared to January 2022

After the dust settled in January in Michigan last year, these were the results:

• $496.8 million in bets accepted
• $34.6 million in gross revenue

The numbers for last month aren’t as pretty.

• $475.6 million in bets (-4.3%)
• $33.6 million in revenue (-2.9%)

FanDuel Sportsbook led the way in January 2023, as is the custom in Michigan, in terms of both the amount of dollars wagered and revenue. FanDuel took $150 million in bets during the month and reported $19.9 million of gross revenue, which represents 30.1% and 59.2% of the state’s totals, respectively.

The downturn in online sports betting activity is in step with a similar lapse at physical sportsbooks. Casino gaming, on the other hand, excelled in both formats for the month.

The full picture of Michigan gambling in January

Excluding how physical slots, sportsbooks, and table games fared at tribal casinos in the state performed during the month (such activity is not regulated by the MGCB), it’s now possible to put together a complete summary of the month in Michigan.

Detroit casinos saw an uptick of over 4% in their in-person slots and table games play during the month. Overall, that led to $103.4 million in revenue for January 2023 from those three facilities. Thus, total gross gaming revenue from MGCB-regulated channels came to $290.6 million to start in 2023.

While Michigan’s gambling operators might never be able to make fetch happen, they certainly aren’t in the gambling industry’s Burn Book.