Michigan doesn’t play around when it comes to gambling. 

Over the past few years, the state has been extremely aggressive when it comes to social gaming sites, online casinos, and even some sports betting operators. 

Sure, online gambling itself is still legal in the state — but they’ve been sending out cease-and-desist letters to certain sites like there’s no tomorrow. 

Who Is Charlie Kane? Twisted Metal Season 2 Finale Post-Credit Scene Explained

Social casinos — also known as “sweepstakes” casinos— got hit the hardest. 

As of right now, you can no longer access them if you’re playing inside the state of Michigan, which some players aren’t too happy about. 

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Soundbar for Your TV

Here’s a look at what went down. 

Michigan Banned Social Casinos Back in 2023 — and There’s No Sign of a Comeback 

It was back in 2023 when Michigan made the call to start banning social casinos. 

The Michigan gaming Control Board (MCGB) specifically targeted:

How to Watch the Most Powerful Meteor Shower of the Summer

➜ PredictionStrike Inc. (PredictionStrike) 

➜ Sweepstakes Limited (Stake.us)

➜ Virtual Gaming Worlds (Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, Global Poker) 

All three of these companies were sent cease-and-desist letters requesting them to stop operating in the state of Michigan, which they have since done. 

The reason why these social casinos were targeted in the first place is because the MCGB found they were offering gaming services to people living in Michigan without proper licenses, so they received more than a slap on the wrist for it — they’re no longer allowed to operate in Michigan at all. 

Even though the likes of Chumba Casino and Stake.us aren’t technically classed as gambling sites anyway  — they use a “sweepstakes” model where virtual coins are used instead of real money — they were still violating Michigan’s gambling laws and putting players at financial risk. This is why the state wasted no time in taking action and firing those letters out. 

Following this, the remaining social casinos on sweepstake-casinos.com have since withdrawn from Michigan or blocked players within the state from accessing their sites, meaning no social casinos are legal in the Wolverine State as of 2025. As you might expect, some players are mad about it, as social casinos have been booming ever since the COVID-19 pandemic and have become quite popular due to offering free-to-play casino-style games like slots, roulette, and more. 

Why Don’t Social Casinos Just Get Michigan Licenses? 

Following the crackdown on social casinos in Michigan, some players are wondering why these sites don’t just get Michigan-issued licenses so that they can stay active there. 

It’s a fair question to ask. 

The answer is actually quite simple, though: social casinos don’t allow real-money wagering, focusing exclusively on “Gold Coins” and “Sweeps Coins” instead. This is what allows them to bypass gambling laws in a ton of other states to begin with, so obtaining a gambling license in Michigan simply wouldn’t be worth the hassle for them, especially as it means they’d have to abide by a ton of new rules. 

This is why social casinos won’t be making a comeback in Michigan anytime soon.

And it’s not just social casinos that Michigan is cracking down on, either, with the state also targeting a fair share of traditional online casinos and sports betting operators, too. 

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MCGB) Issues More Cease-and-Desist Orders to More Online Casinos 

Michigan hasn’t slowed down its crackdown on gambling sites. 

In fact, it’s turned up the heat. 

In 2025, Michigan has issued more than 15 cease-and-desist orders to offshore online casinos and sports betting sites with significant player bases from the state. Some of these casinos include Atlantis Casino, Bet Big Dollar Casino, BetAnySports, Ruby Slots Casino, Blood Moon Casino, and Highway Casino. 

All of these sites have once again been targeted for the same reason: operating without an officially approved Michigan gambling license while also failing to comply with Michigan’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act.

It serves as a huge warning to any other offshore gambling sites operating in the state, too. At this point, Michigan is making it impossible for them to operate there and it simply isn’t worth the potential legal trouble that comes with it, which is why so many of these offshore sites are now withdrawing from Michigan altogether. 

It’s difficult to blame the state for taking action like this, especially when you consider that an estimated $13.3 billion is lost in tax revenue to illegal gambling sites every year across the US. From Michigan’s perspective, not only are these sites breaking the law and putting players at risk, but they’re also a huge tax-drainer, which is why they’ve got to go. 

Summary: Online Gambling Is Bigger Than Ever — So Michigan Will Still Play a Part In It 

Despite its brutal attack on both social casinos and illegal offshore gambling sites, Michigan hasn’t outright banned online betting altogether. 

The state is very much still pro-gambling, so long as sites have an official Michigan Gaming Control Board-issued license. 

And in the 2024 calendar year, revenue for online gambling in Michigan reached an all-time high of $2.9 billion — yes, billion — which the state has benefited massively from in taxes. 

Anyone above the age of 21 can access both online casinos and sportsbooks in Michigan, with the only catch being they’re legally required to verify their identity when signing up, with BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel being some of the most popular online gambling sites that Michigan-based users choose. One thing for sure is that Michigan has made its message clear over the past few years to gambling sites: you can operate here, but it has to be done legally. Any site that doesn’t have an official license will almost certainly be on the receiving end of a cease-and-desist letter (and you only have to ask the likes of Stake.us and Ruby Slots Casino).