Michigan ranked #2 in online casino and sports betting traffic in the US

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan gamblers are still going to their nearby casinos, but some days it is just easier to sit on the couch and place your winning bets over the Internet.

By the numbers:

Michigan is ranked #2 in the nation for the most revenue from this online gaming option. Detroit as a city is #8.

New Jersey is #1.

What they're saying:

Brant Iden is a former GOP lawmaker who worked for six years to legalize online gaming. After he left, he transitioned into a government affairs VP for a popular sports betting platform.

"You're looking at over $2.1 billion that have come into the state since 2019," Iden said. "That's a massive amount of money, and 65% of that goes to education. We’re looking at almost $48 to $50 million a month, and that $30 plus million is going to education."

But the potential windfall was momentarily halted by the veto pen of former Governor Rick Snyder.

Dig deeper:

When Governor Whitmer came into office, she worked it out, and the revenue was well beyond the original estimate of only $150 million.

Now thanks to the efforts of President Trump and Elon Musk, Mr. Iden has a whole new pitch to states that are worried about losing federal dollars.

"These states are scared, especially states that take in a lot of federal funding," he said. "The reality of it is that this is an opportunity to supplement new revenue into their states without having to go back to their citizens and ask them for more money."

On the other hand, Trump's economic policies have created uncertainty among consumers who might turn off the Internet spigot. Mr. Iden thinks not.

"It’s an entertainment product, and folks set aside dollars for entertainment," he said.

Unless, of course, they need the entertainment dollars to put food on the table.