A new six-page, six-question attestation form issued by the Michigan Gaming Control Board in late April has left some licensed igaming and sports betting suppliers in a corner, unsure how to respond to the open-ended inquiry that the board itself has revealed is more about “information gathering” at this point.
The “Illegal Gaming Attestation Internet Game Content Providers” form may be well-intentioned to stamp out support for illegal actors siphoning business and taxable revenue from Michigan’s legal market, but many stakeholders are concerned. Relationships and involvement in areas where the legal versus illegal activity of igaming is not cut and dried is common. Those operating globally are especially alarmed by some unclear questions and undefined terms. They believe unintended consequences may follow from the Michigan regulators’ methods.
“The form does not define every single relevant term, such as what constitutes ‘illegal gambling’,” said gaming lawyer Susan Hensel of Hense..