bet365 Moves Fast Into Michigan’s Booming iGaming Market After PokerStars Exit
Credit: Royalbroil/Wikimedia Commons
The moment PokerStars turned off its Michigan servers on April 1, it left behind a coveted Michigan license. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) didn’t take long to find a suitable replacement. The regulator approved bet365’s application on April 17 through its U.S. entity, Hillside Michigan LLC, and a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
Bet365 went live that same day, making it the 17th U.S. jurisdiction where it has a sports betting presence. It’s also the third state where it operates an online casino, alongside New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which rank as the three largest states with legal iGaming.
Finally Getting a License
Michigan’s online market is hard to break into, as operators have already taken all 15 licenses. The state assigns one to each of the 12 tribal operations and one to each of the three commercial casinos in Detroit.
The market has effectively closed to new entrants since its launch in January 2021. Before bet365, Hard Rock Bet marked the only recent exception when it entered in December 2025 through a partnership with the Island Resort & Casino.
When PokerStars vacated its license on April 1 as part of its plan to migrate U.S. poker players to the FanDuel Poker brand, it created an opening for operators and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
The Odawa Casino in Petoskey didn’t see strong results from its relationship with PokerStars, as the brand never established a meaningful footprint in Michigan’s online casino vertical. Bet365’s arrival looks set to deliver a significant upgrade.
A Slow-Burning American Strategy
Bet365 has taken a very intentional approach to growing in the U.S. market. It avoided the strategy used by operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars, which spent hundreds of millions on marketing and ran loss-leading campaigns during the early days of legal sports betting. Many operators that followed that approach eventually failed, including brands like Betway and Unibet.
Bet365, already popular in the U.K., Australia, and across Europe, chose to enter only a handful of states at first. Over time, operators shifted toward profitability, reduced marketing spend, and lowered customer acquisition costs.
That marked the point when bet365 began accelerating. It now holds a core position in the New Jersey online casino market, generating $3.4 million in monthly revenue, and its Q1 revenue more than doubled year over year. Bet365 sees margin discipline as its key advantage.
Speaking about the Michigan launch, bet365 Head of Business Development Trip Stoddard said it’s a “mature market with knowledgeable fans” and added that the operator is “confident our product stands apart.”
Bet365 strengthened its position by building local partnerships with the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, and 313 Presents, a brand behind many of Detroit’s major venue events.
Michigan’s Market Context
The Wolverine State’s gross online casino revenue passed $300 million for the first time in December, showing how the market has matured since its 2021 launch.
Michigan trails Pennsylvania by less than 1% in total gross iGaming revenue and frequently challenges New Jersey for the highest adjusted gross revenue. That’s despite Pennsylvania having a population roughly 30% larger than Michigan’s. Michigan allows operators to deduct up to 4% of gross revenue in promotional credits before taxation, which helps drive competition.
This structure aligns with bet365’s focus on operational efficiency. The market remains large and continues to grow, positioning bet365 well to expand in Michigan and capture market share from its rivals.
Image credit: Royalbroil/Wikimedia Commons (license)
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