PointsBet launches live dealer casino games in Michigan
Australian-based online gambling operator PointsBet has added live dealer games to its internet casino platform in Michigan.
The company announced on Thursday that it had partnered with Evolution Gaming to introduce live casino games to its customers in the Wolverine State. The selection will include some of the supplier’s signature table games like Auto Roulette, European Roulette, Live Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack, and Live Baccarat.
These games will be live-streamed using cutting-edge technology from Evolution’s state-of-the-art studio in Michigan, allowing players to experience Las Vegas-style gaming without having to visit a physical casino. The Detroit-based studio went live on July 22 after receiving clearance from the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Casino enthusiasts living in Michigan can visit PointsBet’s platform to get a taste of the supplier’s immersive live dealer games on desktop, smartphones, and tablets.
New offering to bring top-tier options to Michigan players
In an official statement about the new offering, PointsBet’s Vice President of Online Casino Revenue, Aaron O’Sullivan, said: “Online casino products have seen a rapid growth in the US and the team at PointsBet is responsive to our users and eager to bring our customers the experience and games they are looking for. We are helping our users Live Your Bet Life with the feel of an authentic casino delivered on a user-friendly and approachable platform.”
The company’s President of Product and Technology, Manjit Gombra Singh, added that the introduction of the offering was part of PointsBet’s efforts to diversify and expand its online casino content.
“Since the launch of our iGaming platform, we have been working to diversify and expand the casino content we offer to players. Our live gaming options in Michigan offer top-tier choices for our players and will serve as a template as iGaming expands in other jurisdictions in the US and Canada,” said Singh.
PointsBet entered Michigan’s iGaming market in early May via its partnership with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, which operates Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet. The two partners also operate a retail sportsbook at the tribe’s facility as well as a statewide mobile betting app.
The online sportsbook went live on January 22, the same day Michigan rolled out regulated sports betting and iGaming.
A look at Michigan’s iGaming market
Michigan legalized online casino gaming and sports betting with the passage of House Bill 4311 in December 2019.
The legislation allows the three Detroit-area casinos and tribal gaming facilities in the state to partner with platform providers of their choice to operate interactive casino gaming platforms, as well as both retail and mobile sportsbooks.
Retail sports betting kicked off in March 2020, but internet sportsbooks and mobile casinos did not launch until early this year.
The online industry got off the ground on January 22, with eight operators including DraftKings, William Hill (now Caesars), TwinSpires, Golden Nugget, BetRivers, BetMGM, WynnBet, and FanDuel rolling out both iGaming and mobile betting on the first day.
Since then, six more operators including PointsBet, Penn National’s Barstool, FireKeepers, Gun Lake Casinos, Four Winds Casino and PokerStars have added online casino gaming to their platforms, bringing the total number of iGaming brands in the state to 14.
As of October 2021, Michigan’s online casinos had generated $797.5 million in profits for operators. The licensees pay 20% to 28% of the internet gambling revenue to the MGCB in taxes, with the funds going to local communities and the state’s education program.