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Players in Michigan who enjoy live and simulcast pari-mutuel wagering now have another option.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board Board has approved an order to allow pari-mutuel mobile horse race betting through Xpress Bet.
“Michigan horse racing fans now have a third option for betting on horse races from anywhere in the state using mobile wagering,” MGCB Executive Director Richard Kalm said in a news release Wednesday. “It’s a win for horse racing fans who want more choices in convenient mobile wagering providers, and the horse racing industry hopes to tap additional funding through this betting format.”
Xpress Bet is a subsidiary of 1/ST, which is located in Aurora, Ontario. Xpress Bet received a temporary license from the MGCB after the firm signed a third-party facilitator agreement with Northville Downs. Currently, Northville Downs is Michigan’s only licensed racetrack.
TVG Network and TwinSpires/Churchill Downs also reached agreements with Northville Downs. The MGCB also granted temporary licenses to both firms in 2023.
Pari-Mutuel Racing Debuted in Michigan in 2019
A recent amendment to Michigan’s Horse Racing Law of 1995 has allowed a race meeting licensee to use contracted third-party firms to operate wagering on live and simulcast pari-mutuel racing. The amendment took effect in December of 2019.
In order for residents to take part, a bettor creates an account with the third-party facilitator and can then use a mobile device or computer to bet on pari-mutuel races using the money deposited into an account.
Simulcast wagers are bets on a horse race occurring outside of Michigan. An example of this type of race would be the Kentucky Derby.
The MGCB approved the mobile wagering on horse races in 2023. The state levies a 1% tax on wagers processed through third-party facilitators.
An expansion of simulcast pari-mutuel wagering is the latest addition to gaming in Michigan. The state recently launched its mobile sports betting and online casinos platforms on Jan. 22.
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