Like Detroit’s other two commercial casinos — MotorCity Casino Hotel and Greektown Casino-Hotel — the MGM Grand had been forced to close on March 16, when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used her emergency powers to shut down all non-essential businesses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. MGM Grand Detroit Casino is in Detroit, Michigan and is open daily 24 hours. The casino's 100,000 square foot gaming space features 3,500 gaming machines and 159 table and poker games. The property has six restaurants and a hotel with 400 rooms.
The legal gambling age in Michigan is not always what it seems.
With 23 tribal casinos across Michigan, three commercial casinos in Detroit, and online gambling on the horizon, the legal age to bet ranges from 18 to 21.
Mgm Grand Detroit Gambling Ages
In fact, many of the state’s tribal gaming facilities have a lower age for entrance than Detroit.
But while Central Michigan University students can gamble at Soaring Eagle Casino Resort in Mount Pleasant at 18 years old, those same students won’t be able to gamble online when it goes live.
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Here are the nuts and bolts of legally gambling in-person and online in Michigan.
How old do I have to be to gamble online in Michigan?
The legal gambling age at Detroit casinos has always been 21.
That’s true for Greektown Casino, MGM Grand Detroit, and MotorCity Casino, which are regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Since online gambling will be governed by the MGCB, too, the legal gambling age for Michigan online players has a similar 21-and-older age requirement.
Online operators that partnered with any of Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes also face this same age requirement.
What’s the legal gambling age for Michigan tribal casinos?
Because tribes are sovereign entities and not overseen by the MGCB, each tribe sets its own age limits. So it varies based on the tribe.
Here is a list of Michigan tribal casinos that require players to be 18 and older:
- Bay Mills Casino, Brimley
- Island Resort Casino, Harris
- Leelanau Sands Casino, Peshawbestown
- Little River Casino Resort, Manistee
- Northern Waters Casino Resort, Watersmeet
- Ojibwa Casinos, Baraga and Marquette
- Saganing Eagles Landing Casino, Standish
- Soaring Eagle Casino Resort, Mount Pleaasant
- Turtle Creek Casino, Williamsburg
Here is a list of the casinos that require players to be 19 and older:
- Kewadin Casinos, Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace
- Odawa Casino, Petoskey
However, six tribal casinos have a 21-and-older age requirement:
- FireKeepers Casino, Battle Creek
- Four Winds Casinos, Dowagiac, Hartford, and New Buffalo
- Gun Lake Casino, Wayland
- Odawa Casino, Mackinaw City
How old do I have to be to gamble legally in Canada?
Meanwhile, in Canada, the legal gambling age is 19.
Prior to coronavirus restrictions shutting down the US/Canada border, college-aged Michiganders could cross the border to play at neighboring Canadian casinos.
Those casinos include Caesars Windsor, Starlight Casino Point Edward near Sarnia, and Gateway Casinos in the Ontario portion of Sault Ste Marie.
© Provided by Lansing WILX-TV Detroit sports legends, incuding Dino Ciccarelli, James 'Buddha' Edwards, Tommy Hearns, Jerome Bettis,ad Dave Rozema, made some of the state's first bets.DETROIT (WILX) -- The days of finding and paying a bookie under the table are over.
MGM Grand Detroit opened its sportsbook for business on Wednesday, and the first legal bet was placed.
'I'm about to have a heart attack!' said 62-year-old Gregory Ponders, who made one of the first bets Wednesday. 'Y'all have to get me out, I'm so excited I'm sweating!'
Ponders bet on the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA Championship, and the Michigan State Spartans to win the NCAA Tournament.
He isn't the only one excited about making one of the first bets.
Former Lion Lomas Brown picked his former team to win more than six games next season.
'I'm feeling good about myself right now,' said Brown, 'so Lions....you have to hold up on your end of the bargain this year.'
State Representative Brandt Iden, who pushed the bill forward, expressed relief and excitement Wednesday.
'To see behind me what we've done...this is amazing, and I think we're going to see a tremendous amount of revenue come from this at the end of the day,' Iden said.
Mgm Grand Detroit Gambling Age Limits
The millions of dollars expected to come from sports betting will go back to the state's first responders, school funds, and infrastructure.
'That money's regulated and provides money to enhance the state for everybody,' said Louis Theros, MGM Grand Detroit's Vice President.
In addition to making bets, you can also watch your favorite teams at the casino's sports lounge.
'It's all about making sure we can provide an environment where you can be excited with other sports fans and cheer on your favorite team,' said Casino President David Tsai.
MGM Grand, with legal sports betting, is changing the way fans will watch their favorite teams.
'They're going to watch until the end of the game because they're invested in it,' said Detroit native Barry Sanders, who won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Detroit.
Mgm Grand Detroit Gambling Age Restrictions
Whether you're betting on the Spartans like Ponders, or Michigan, like Theros plans to do, you can make that bet legally.
'People bet all the time and now you can come to a legal place and bet,' said former Detroit Piston James Edwards. 'I'll be back down to make a couple more bets.'
Mgm Grand Detroit Gambling Losses Tax
With the legislation passed in 2019 that allows sports betting, it's only a matter of time before we can place bets on our phones.
Mgm Grand Detroit Gambling Age Requirement
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