About Us

The Michigan gaming industry is composed of private commercial casino gaming, Native American Class III gaming, a state lottery, charitable gaming and pari-mutuel horse racing. Michigan first legalized gaming in 1933 when pari-mutuel horse racing was legalized. It was not until 1972 that Michigan adopted its second form of legal wagering – a state run lottery.

Tribal Class III gaming emerged on the scene in the late 1980s with Class I and Class II gaming. In the mid-1990s, the state entered into Class III gaming compacts with seven tribes, and followed that in 1998 with four additional compacts. Limited commercial casino gaming was legalized in Michigan in November 1996, with the passage of a voter referendum, Proposal E. Proposal E enacted the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act and authorized up to three private casinos in the city of Detroit.

Detroit Casinos

The state of Michigan has authorized commercial casino gaming in the city of Detroit. The three Detroit casinos are each privately owned and operated. The casino operators are regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, which is the state agency created in 1996 to oversee the casino operators, suppliers and employees. The operators of the Detroit casinos were each initially selected by the city of Detroit following a competitive selection process. The initial selection of the casino license holders was completed in 1997 by former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, and affirmed by the Detroit City Council.

Since the late 1990s the city and the casino operators have amended their casino development agreements on several occasions. The current agreements with each of the three operators, MGM Grand Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino, were negotiated by former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. The casinos initially operated in temporary facilities that opened during 1999-2000. Each casino has 100,000-square feet of gaming space, 400 hotel rooms, conference space and various restaurants.

To obtain more information on each of the Detroit casinos, please visit their respective Web sites listed below.

MGM Grand Casino

MotorCity Casino

Greektown Casino

Michigan Native
American Casinos

The state of Michigan has entered Class III casino gaming compacts with 12 Native American tribes. The first set of compacts was entered in 1993, and the state entered a second set of compacts with four tribes in 1998. A third compact was entered with the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band in 2007.

Currently, there are 24 Class III casinos that operate in various areas of Michigan.

Click here for more information on Michigan’s 12 tribes operating casino facilities in the state of Michigan

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Michigan Lottery

The Michigan Bureau of State Lottery promulgates rules governing lottery games, and oversees the issuing of the lottery, bingo and charitable gaming licenses. It has existed since the lottery began in Michigan in 1972, and is currently led by Lottery Commissioner M. Scott Bowen. The Michigan Lottery is one of the most successful lotteries in the country. The Lottery reported annual sales of $2.34 billion in fiscal year 2011, and generated $727.3 million in net revenue for the state School Aid Fund, which supports public education programs. In 2003, under Commissioner Peters, the Lottery introduced Club Keno and Pull Tabs games to be played at Michigan Class C bars and restaurants.

Michigan Lottery Bureau

Michigan Horse Racing

The Michigan Office of Racing Commissioner is a division of the Michigan Department of Agriculture. It has the responsibility of administering the licensing, regulation, enforcement and collection of pari-mutuel revenues for the state.

Michigan’s racing industry currently consists of five tracks. The industry has sought to revive itself through the expansion of gaming operations. However, Michigan voters rejected adding VLTs to the tracks in 2004 when Proposal 1 was adopted, amending the Michigan Constitution to require statewide and local voter approval to expand gaming options.

Race Track Contact Info

Northville Downs

Standardbred Racing
301 South Center Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Phone: 248.349.1000

northvilledowns.com

Notices

* Effective January 17, 2010 the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) officially assumed the duties of the Office of the Racing Commissioner (ORC).

* On October 8, 2009, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm issued Executive Order No. 2009-45 which, among other things, transfers the regulation of horse racing from the Office of Racing Commissioner to the MGCB. The ORC and the position of Racing Commissioner were abolished by the Order. MGCB Executive Director Rick Kalm now performs the functions of the Racing Commissioner.