Bet365 Launches in Michigan as 17th US State, Eyes Massachusetts Next

Key Takeaways:

• Bet365 went live in Michigan on April 17 as the 17th U.S. state operator
• The company replaced Pokerstars as the Little Traverse Bay Odawa tribal partner
• Massachusetts Gaming Commission reopened license applications at bet365 request

April 17 Approval Completes 17-State U.S. Footprint as British Operator Replaces Pokerstars on Little Traverse Bay Odawa Tribal License

The Michigan Gaming Control Board approved Hillside Michigan LLC, bet365’s Michigan entity, as the new internet gaming and sports betting platform provider for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. Bet365 replaces Pokerstars, which recently exited Michigan with its prior player base rolled into Fanduel Casino’s licenses. Michigan now hosts 13 online sportsbooks and 16 iCasinos, one of just four states alongside Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia offering a fully competitive regulated online casino market.

Bet365 also announced sports partnerships with the Detroit Tigers as their official sports betting partner for the 2026 MLB season and with the Detroit Red Wings as their presenting partner for the 2026-27 NHL season. The operator’s branded integration at Comerica Park includes virtual signage during broadcasts and presenting-partner status on Detroit SportsNet’s Tigers coverage. The regional sports network has been officially rebranded as “Detroit SportsNet, presented by bet365” since April 1.

Next up is Massachusetts, whose Gaming Commission voted 5-0 on April 9 to reopen its sports betting license application process after receiving a formal letter from bet365 expressing interest in a Category 3 untethered license. Four such licenses remain available in the state, which currently hosts seven active operators, including FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Bally Bet. A Category 3 license requires a $200,000 application fee and a $5 million licensing fee for a five-year term.

MGC Chair Jordan Maynard framed the reopening in the context of ongoing U.S. regulatory friction with prediction markets platforms. “I’m heartened that people want to come in when prediction markets, which we definitely don’t allow, want to enter for sports betting,” Maynard said. Massachusetts has taken an aggressive stance against prediction market operators, with a state court issuing an injunction against Kalshi, which is currently on appeal.

Trip Stoddard, bet365’s head of business development, characterized Michigan as “a mature market with knowledgeable fans” and said the operator is confident its product stands apart from incumbents.

Bet365 has invested heavily in U.S. expansion over the last two years, opening a 120,000-square-foot Denver headquarters in 2024 at a reported $135 million cost. The operator launched in five new states during 2025, most recently entering Missouri in December 2025. The company also expects to transition to Alberta’s new regulated market on July 13, when the Canadian province becomes the country’s second regulated commercial online betting market after Ontario.

The methodical expansion pattern contrasts with several European operators whose U.S. entry attempts stalled or failed. Three European-rooted operators maintain durable U.S. market positions in the form of bet365, Flutter Entertainment’s Fanduel, and Entain’s BetMGM joint venture.