The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has authorised Evolution to provide live dealer online casino games in the state.
This now marks the first instance of live online casino games being approved by the Michigan regulator.
MGCB gives Evolution the greenlight
According to the MGCB’s announcement, Evolution is set to livestream from a Southfield studio real-time casino table games with live dealers.
The new live dealer games may be offered in Michigan for the first time through licensed operators and platform providers beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 22.
Michigan will now become the third US state to permit live dealer online casino games alongside Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
To begin with, live dealer games offered will be blackjack, baccarat, and roulette. The MGCB plans to add more approved games in the future.
Henry Williams, MGCB executive director said: “Players can use a mobile device or computer to play typical land-based casino games like blackjack, baccarat, and roulette with a real-time, live dealer.
“Cameras capture the dealer and the play, and the providers’ apps or websites share it live with remote players.”
Where can live dealer games be played?
As outlined by the MGCB, 10 Michigan online casino brands will be able to offer the products.
These operators include BetMGM Casino, DraftKings Casino, FanDuel Casino, Golden Nugget Online Casino, Barstool Casino, BetRivers Casino, PokerStars Casino, TwinSpires Casino, William Hill Casino, and WynnBet Casino.
Each online gambling brand will notify customers when the live dealer games will be available to play.
Michigan’s live dealer casino products are launching during the same week online gambling revenue dropped. For the month of June, Michigan’s online casino gross gaming revenue amounted to $89.2m, down 5.9% month-on-month.
Meanwhile, sports betting revenue for Michigan amounted to $27.2m in June, up from the $21.2m generated the previous month.
Online casino in Michigan
The Wolverine State legalised online casino gambling and sports betting in December 2019 and initially planned to launch the verticals in 2020.
However, due to disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Michigan finally launched its online casino and online sports betting markets on 22 January 2021.
On day one, nine online casinos and 10 Michigan sportsbooks launched, marking the biggest synchronised gambling launch in the US so far.
In the past six months, the MGCB has allowed 13 online gambling operators to launch in Michigan. A 14th operator, Soaring Eagle, will only be permitted to offer online casino games when it launches.
Of the 13 online casinos that are live, the three tribal operators FireKeepers, Play Gun Lake, and Four Winds have yet to receive approval for live dealer casino games.