Long a champion of legalized and regulated online gambling, state Rep. Brandt Iden (R-Kalamazoo) resurrected a couple of bills this week vetoed by ex-Gov. Rick Snyder.
In May, Iden told fellow members of the House Ways and Means Committee Michigan gaming rules were due for an upgrade, but only if they included measures to protect online gamblers.
According to a May 2 press release, Iden had said online gambling was already underway in Michigan, albeit “illegally with no protections for their sensitive personal and financial information or their funds.”
Michigan state Rep. Brandt Iden (R-Kalamazoo)
| Michigan House Republicans
At the time, Iden was backing a bill to create bureaucracy to legalize and regulate internet gaming, the release stated.
This month, Iden was quoted in the Detroit Free Press saying he intended to have safe, legal online betting in place in Michigan “by the Super Bowl.”
His proposal, the Sports Betting Act, or HB 4916, would apply an 8 percent tax on casino operators other than those owned by Native American tribes. The money would be split between the host city, the state, and funds for schools, transportation and the equine industry.
Alerts Sign-up