bet365 Launches Online Casino and Sportsbook in Michigan
British gaming giant bet365 has launched its online casino and sportsbook in Michigan in a deal with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa. With the deal signed, the Great Lake State becomes the 17th in the U.S. where bet365 has an online presence.
bet365 already offers sports betting and its popular Early Payouts promotion in more than a dozen U.S. states. However, Michigan has legalized online casinos, so bet365 Casino is free to roll out slots and table games there.
Michigan joins states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where residents can bet on bet365’s slots or place sports wagers.
At a Glance:
- U.K. betting brand to go live in its 17th U.S. state
- Michigan is first bet365 launch in U.S. since Missouri in 2025
- bet365 online gaming provider for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, replacing The Stars Group
- Sportsbook named official betting partner of the Tigers and Red Wings
The Stars Group out, bet365 in
Speaking about the launch, Michigan Gaming Control Board Executive Director, Henry Williams, said, “This approval reflects our continued focus on maintaining integrity, transparency, and consumer protection in Michigan’s online gaming and sports betting marketplace.
“We are pleased to welcome bet365 as the Tribe’s new platform provider and look forward to seeing the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians continue to provide a safe, responsible, and enjoyable wagering experience for players across the state.”
The Stars Group – home to PointsBet and PokerStars – was among the first sites to launch in Michigan in early 2021. The group had a deal with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa to provide online gaming.
However, The Stars Group exited the Michigan market last month, integrating instead with FanDuel. PokerStars players in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey can now enjoy slots and poker through the FanDuel platform.
bet365 scores with local sports tie-ups
The British firm, operating under Hillside Michigan LLC, has been quick to gain a foothold in state sports franchises. bet365 Sportsbook has announced partnership deals with the Detroit Tigers (MLB) and Red Wings (NHL).
bet365 was also named the Official Sports Betting Partner of the UFC in March. It also enjoys a similar deal with the Indiana Fever and Sandy’s Gaming and Racing in Kentucky.
bet365 eyes Massachusetts move
bet365 could yet add Massachusetts to its list of U.S. trading cards after the Bay State reopened bidding for gaming license applications. Massachusetts legalized sports betting in 2022, with the first online sportsbooks going live in early 2023.
Thus far, Bally Bet, DraftKings, and FanDuel have enjoyed a monopoly in Massachusetts. However, bet365 requested that bidding on Category 3 licenses (covering online sportsbooks) be reopened.
Massachusetts allows for a limited number of “untethered” sports betting licenses. Those are for online and mobile operators that have no ties to existing land-based operators in the state. With the MGC keen (voting 5-0 in favor of the process reopening), expect bet365 to get even bigger in the U.S. in the months to come.
