Michigan Narrowly Misses Online Gambling Revenue Record in April
By Liam O'Brien · Contributor2 min read
Michigan’s online gambling revenue in April 2025 narrowly missed setting a new monthly record, demonstrating robust year-on-year growth primarily driven by online slots and table games. This performance occurred amidst mixed results in sports betting and a slight decline in land-based casino revenue.
According to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, total revenue for the month from online gambling, which includes both iGaming and sports betting, amounted to $290.7 million. This figure represents a 23.8% increase compared to April of last year (2024) and came in only 1% behind the all-time record set in March 2025. Adjusted gross receipts for online gambling, after promotional spending, topped $259.9 million. This total surpassed last year’s figure by 28.7% and was just 0.3% off March’s total, indicating sustained strong performance.
iGaming: Near Record Highs
The iGaming sector continued its strong performance in April. Online slots and table games generated gross receipts of $248.1 million, which was ahead of April 2024’s figures but marginally behind the March total. Adjusted gross receipts for iGaming totalled $233.1 million, marking a substantial year-on-year rise of 33.9%.
As reported by iGaming Times based on the Michigan Gaming Control Board data, the top-performing iGaming operators and their land-based casino partners for April 2025 were: FanDuel and MotorCity Casino, who moved back to the top spot with $67.6 million in gross receipts and $63.5 million in adjusted gross receipts. BetMGM and MGM Grand Detroit, which had led in March, ranked second with $64.9 million in gross receipts and $61 million in adjusted gross receipts. DraftKings and the Bay Mills Indian Community completed the top three, generating gross receipts of $42.5 million and $40 million in adjusted receipts.
State tax payments from iGaming reached $48.2 million. The city of Detroit received $13.1 million from commercial iGaming operators, while tribal operators paid $5.6 million to governing bodies.
Mixed Performance in Sports Betting
In contrast to the continuing growth in online casino, the sports betting market experienced a mixed month in April. Gross receipts for sports betting were up 1.7% year-on-year to $42.6 million. However, adjusted gross receipts saw a decline of 3.6%, falling to $26.8 million. Total handle for April showed overall growth, increasing by 4.7% to $417.9 million. The state’s hold for April, based on gross receipts, was 10.1%, while the monthly hold based on adjusted gross receipts was 6.41%.
As reported by iGaming Times, FanDuel and Meadowlands (partnered with MotorCity Casino) continued to lead the sports betting market by some distance, reporting $19.1 million in gross receipts off a $154.6 million handle, resulting in a 12.35% hold. DraftKings and the Bay Mills Indian Community ranked second with $10.5 million in gross receipts from a $114.9 million handle, for a 9.14% hold. BetMGM and MGM Grand Detroit rounded off the top three with $5.8 million in gross receipts from $53.9 million in handle, achieving a 10.76% hold. Sports betting tax payments to the state hit $1.4 million, and Detroit received $504,986. In terms of retail sports betting, Meadowlands led the market with $1.7 million.
Land-Based Casinos in Detroit
The Michigan Gaming Control Board also released data for Detroit’s three land-based commercial casinos. In April, their total revenue was $109.8 million, up a slight 0.4% year-on-year but 6.5% behind March. Table games and slots collectively generated $109.5 million in revenue, a 1.5% increase. However, qualified adjusted gross receipts for these games fell significantly by 79.8% to $336,021, with a hold of 2.57% based on a $9.4 million handle. MGM led the Detroit land-based market with a share of 47%, ahead of MotorCity at 30% and Hollywood Casino at Greektown with 23%. These casinos paid $8.9 million in state gaming taxes and $13 million to Detroit for their casino activity. Additionally, they paid $20,276 for retail sports betting tax to the state and $24,781 to Detroit.
Tax Contributions
Overall, the state collected $48.2 million from iGaming, $1.4 million from online sports betting, and $8.9 million from land-based casino gaming. Detroit received $13.1 million from commercial iGaming operators, $504,986 from online sports betting, and $13 million from land-based casino activity. Retail sports betting contributed $20,276 to the state and $24,781 to Detroit.
In conclusion, Michigan’s gambling market in April 2025 saw robust growth in online casino revenue, bringing it close to a new record and driving overall online gambling figures. While sports betting had a mixed month and land-based casinos experienced a slight decline, the dominance of iGaming underscores the continued shift in the state’s gambling landscape and its significant contribution to tax revenues.
