Safe Casino Sites in Michigan

You can now enjoy casino games via apps and desktops within Michigan state lines. Online casinos are licensed to existing brick and mortar venues—and under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Gambling Control Board. You can enjoy slots, table games, keno, and live-dealer games on completely safe online casino sites and casino apps.

This page outlines more than just the legal protections that regulated online casinos in Michigan give you. Common questions like game fairness, secure financial transactions, responsible gambling, and safely installing casino apps are covered in depth below. Of course, we also take an in-depth look at the safest and most trusted online casino brands available for Michigan players.

Safe online casinos in Michigan

Sticking with the best-known brands will ensure you can play online casino games safely. There are many other advantages, too. These include a lot of no-deposit bonuses and matched welcome offers. You will also find promotions and rewards programs aimed at regular players. The table below shows the best available deals.

Michigan gambling law & casino player safety

Anyone over 18 who is currently inside state lines can gamble online in Michigan. Gambling laws were expanded at the end of 2019. The licensing framework was developed with the first sites opening in 2020. Three acts were introduced, covering different forms of gambling:

HB 4916: Sports Betting (online and retail)
HB 4311: Online Casinos and Poker
HB 4308: Daily Fantasy Sports

Licenses for online casinos are available to the live casinos in Michigan. These include the commercial casinos in Detroit and the tribal casinos around the state. Casinos have partnered with well-known gambling brands including 888, Unibet, and DraftKings to offer casino games.

Licensing and oversight of online casinos is under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Gambling Control Board. Casinos are required to comply with responsible gambling policy, demonstrate the integrity of their RNG software (which controls game outcomes), and to keep player balances separate from their operating capital.

As you will see below, this creates a safe environment for residents to gamble online. Players have a legitimate shot at winning, and can enjoy playing safe online casino games for real money knowing that they will get paid out if they win.

Safe online casino games in Michigan

Those new to casino gambling often ask whether online casino games are safe? One thing you can be sure of when playing at online casinos in Michigan is that the games are fair. This means that the outcome of a spin (for slots or roulette), the shuffle of cards, or the drawing of keno balls, is completely random.

These outcomes are controlled by ‘RNG’ (Random Number Generator) programs. They work by generating a random outcome at the moment you press the spin button or click to deal a new hand.

RNG outcomes are rigorously audited. Third party auditors, including eCogra and iGaming Labs, run millions of hands and spins. Before certifying any game as ‘fair’, they compare the outcomes of millions of trials to the published ‘Return to Player’ percentage.

For example, if a slot lists 96.5% as the long-term returns, the auditors make sure that this is what is paid. While a short session can see volatility (swings in either direction), over millions of spins you will get close to the average.

Audits of game fairness are a key part of the licensing requirement of online casinos in Michigan and ensure that you have a genuine shot at winning—in line with the published house edge for each game.

Fair games at live dealer rooms

Some Michigan casinos offer table games via live streams from studios at the bigger casinos. These are known as ‘Live Dealer’ games. Options include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and casino poker variations.

The appeal of live dealer games is that they add a social element to your play compared to the software-based games. A secondary consideration is that seeing the cards dealt in real time makes them demonstrably fair.

You can interact with the dealers, so you know the action is live. You can see the deck cut before each hand too. Live dealer games are hugely popular and will help you avoid any nagging doubts about the software-based games’ deal fairness.

Safely downloading Michigan casino apps

There are two ways of safely accessing online casinos in Michigan. You can play via your web browser on desktops or laptops, or you can download apps onto your iPhone, iPad, Android Smartphone, or tablet.

If want to play casino games on the move, you will need the apps. These include the geolocation tracking needed to show you are inside state lines. If there is any doubt about your location, you will not be able to deposit or play.

Web browser casino games are made safe using the SSL standard. Your browser will show you if any page is not using this. You will also get a warning message should a security certificate expire.

To make sure you safely download the correct app, you should follow our links to the casino websites on your mobile device. This will not only ensure you get to the legitimate brand sites, but it will ensure you get the best available casino bonus deal.

Once you arrive at the casino website, they will be able to detect what device you are using and offer you the right app:

iPhone/iPad: The download will occur via the Apple App Store.
Android Devices: Google refuses to host gambling apps, which means you need to download direct from the casino site. This is safe, although you will need to click ‘OK’ to allow a download from an unknown source.

Once the apps are downloaded, you will be able to register, deposit and withdraw, and track your progress towards clearing bonuses without needing to access a desktop.

Safely depositing at Michigan online casinos

There are deposit methods at Michigan casinos to suit everyone. Many people feel safe using their regular credit or debit cards online. If you prefer not to, then a number of third party services are available. These give you the opportunity to keep your bank account and gambling activity separate.

You will not need to use an electronic deposit method at all if you are located close to the brick and mortar casino that licenses your preferred app. You can take cash to the casino cage, along with your account details, and deposit that way.

Here are the online deposit methods at Michigan casinos (note that not every casino will offer all of them):

Bank Cards: Visa and MasterCard are welcomed at all Michigan casinos. Some brands will take AMEX or Discover cards too.
eCheck/ACH: This is a local bank transfer option. If you get verified (by a third party like VIP Preferred) then you can deposit instantly this way.
Bill Pay: This only works at selected casinos and bigger banks. You deposit at casinos in the same way as paying a utility bill.
PayPal/Skrill/Neteller: These are examples of eWallets. They are secure online accounts that allow you to spend money without giving bank details to the casinos. Fees do apply.
PayNearMe: You can take cash, along with a bar code from your casino’s cashier, to your local 7-Eleven and deposit in cash.
Prepaid Cards: Big casino brands have branded debit cards. The idea here is to fund your card via your bank (or credit card), then use this for safe transactions. You can also use these cards like regular debit cards.
Bank Wires: This is an ideal way to deposit larger amounts at online casinos in Michigan. There are fees for each transaction that is too high for smaller deposits.

Staying safe while you deposit at online casinos is important, though it is vital that you get the best bang for your buck when you do make a deposit. Compare the bonuses at Michigan’s online casinos. You will find a mix of matched welcome offer, no-lose deals for your initial deposits and regular reload bonuses.

Safely withdraw from online casinos in Michigan

Regulated online casinos can be relied on to pay your winnings. You will find differences in the withdrawal speed between the casinos—and bigger differences between the payment methods you choose for your withdrawal.

Casinos will require you to withdraw to the same payment method you deposited with. This is a safety policy. By reducing the possibility of casinos being used for money laundering, this system is safer for legitimate players.

There are some payment options, for example some bank’s credit cards and PayNearMe, where withdrawals are not possible. Here you should work with the customer support staff at your casino who will help you find an alternative. If no electronic options work for you (and you are unable to get to the casino cage), then a paper check can be mailed to your home.

Keeping Michigan casinos safe for problem gamblers

A small percentage of players will develop gambling problems. As part of the licensing requirements of online casinos by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, a comprehensive responsible gambling policy needs to be in place.

The first part of this is to help people understand problem gambling behaviors. This is usually done via a series of questions on the casinos’ websites. They include gambling with money you cannot afford to lose, mood swings, and gambling to chase losses. Links to local and national charities that assist those with these issues are linked to from the same page.

Once a player has identified that they have a problem, tools are provided to help them manage their online casino experience. For some people, setting limits is enough to keep things entertaining without gambling becoming a problem. Those with more severe problems might need to exclude themselves permanently.

Here are the tools available at online casinos to help people gamble safely:

Deposit limits
Time on site limits
Max bet limits
Time Out
Self-Exclusion

Big brand casinos

There are plenty of external controls in place that keep online casinos safe and limit the impacts on problem gamblers. One significant factor to keep in mind is that the online casinos in Michigan are the biggest national brands, many of which have long-standing reputations for great service and fair play.

Brands in Michigan include gambling giant GVC (that powers the BetMGM Casino in partnership with the MGM Grand, Detroit), Stars Group, global gambling giant 888, Caesars Entertainment, BetFair and DraftKings, that are all respected companies (many have been going for 20 years with a track record of fair gaming and honoring player bonuses).

Unsafe casinos: why you should never play at offshore casino sites

With so many quality brands and a safe, regulated environment in Michigan, there is no need to risk your money offshore. A lot of casinos operate out of jurisdictions in the Caribbean. These operators cannot legally accept credit card payments, and so use a network of intermediaries (or cryptocurrency) to move funds around.

The biggest risk of playing offshore happens if you win. If an offshore casino decides to void your win for any reason, you have zero recourse. There is literally nobody to complain to if an offshore casino disappears, taking your balance with it.

For many years, this risky method was the only option for Michigan online casino players. With regulated casinos now providing secure, safe platforms, there are zero reasons to risk your money this way anymore.

Wrapping up: safe online casinos in Michigan

You can gamble securely online in Michigan, thanks to the new casinos regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. There are multiple layers of protection for players, and each ensures that a different aspect of the experience is safe.

First, you can be sure that the games are fair, with completely random outcomes. These need to match the published returns of each game over millions of deals or spins. You will also find secure deposit methods.

When you compare legal online casinos to offshore brands, there is no doubt that state-regulated casinos are safer. You can be sure that your bonus deals will be honored and that your wins will be paid out in a timely manner. Best of all, if you do find yourself in a dispute, there is a government body to escalate your issue to.

With so many national brands with great reputations available in Michigan, you can choose from a lot of secure and safe online casino sites. Your next step is to compare their welcome bonuses and make sure you get the best possible deal!