Can I offer contests that involve free entry in Michigan? What are the requirements?

Based on the provided documents, Michigan law allows for fantasy contests with an entry fee, but there are restrictions on where and how they can be offered. However, there is no clear information on whether free entry contests are allowed in Michigan.

Requirements for Offering Fantasy Contests in Michigan

According to MICL 432.515, a fantasy contest conducted under Michigan law does not violate the Michigan penal code, as long as it meets certain conditions. These conditions include:

• No fantasy contest team is composed of the entire roster of a real-world sports team.
• No fantasy contest team is composed entirely of individual athletes who are members of the same real-world sports team.
• Each prize and award or the value of all prizes and awards offered to winning fantasy contest players is made known to the fantasy contest players in advance of the fantasy contest.
• Each winning outcome reflects the relative knowledge and skill of the fantasy contest players and is determined by the aggregated statistical results of the performance of multiple individual athletes selected by the fantasy contest player to form the fantasy contest team, whose individual performances in the fantasy contest directly correspond with the actual performance of those athletes in the athletic event in which those individual athletes participated.
• A winning outcome is not based on randomized or historical events, or on the score, point spread, or performance in an athletic event of a single real-world sports team, a single athlete, or any combination of real-world sports teams.
• The fantasy contest does not constitute or involve and is not based on any of the following: Racing involving animals, a game or contest ordinarily offered by a horse track or casino for money, credit, or any representative of value, including any races, games, or contests involving horses or that are played with cards or dice, a slot machine or other mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic device, equipment, or machine, including computers and other cashless wagering systems, poker, blackjack, faro, monte, keno, bingo, fan tan, twenty-one, seven and a half, Klondike, craps, chuck a luck, Chinese chuck a luck, Wheel of Fortune, Chemin de Fer, Baccarat, Pai Gow, Beat the Banker, Panguingui, roulette, or other banking or percentage games, or any other game or device authorized by the board under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, 1996 IL 1, MCL 432.201 to 432.226.
• A fantasy contest is not based on a high school or youth sporting event or any event that is not an athletic event.
• A fantasy contest is not conducted in a manner that involves or results in betting on a race, game, contest, or on sports.

Additionally, according to MICL 432.508, a fantasy contest must not be offered on, at, or from any of the following:

• A kiosk or machine physically located in a retail business location, bar, restaurant, or other commercial establishment.
• A place of public accommodation.
• A facility owned, operated, or occupied by a private club, association, or similar membership-based organization.

However, this section does not apply to a casino licensee licensed by the board under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act, 1996 IL 1, 432.201 to 432.226, or a federally recognized Indian tribe licensed under the lawful internet gaming act or the lawful sports betting act.

Unclear Information on Free Entry Contests

There is no clear information in the provided documents on whether free entry contests are allowed in Michigan. The documents only mention fantasy contests with an entry fee. Therefore, it is recommended to consult with a legal expert or contact the Michigan Gaming Control Board for further information on the legality of free entry contests in Michigan.

Conclusion

Based on the provided documents, Michigan law allows for fantasy contests with an entry fee, but there are restrictions on where and how they can be offered. However, there is no clear information on whether free entry contests are allowed in Michigan. It is recommended to consult with a legal expert or contact the Michigan Gaming Control Board for further information on the legality of free entry contests in Michigan.

Jurisdiction

Michigan

• Gaming