Legal Games of Skill in Michigan

Michigan Law

• According to Michigan state law 750.303, "A person who for hire, gain or reward keeps or maintains a game of skill or chance, or game partly of skill and partly of chance, used for gaming, or who permits a game to be kept, maintained or played on premises occupied or controlled by the person, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years, or a fine of not more than $1,000."

Mechanical Amusement Exception

• The prohibition on games of skill does not apply to any "mechanical amusement device" which rewards the player with the right to continue operating the device at no additional cost (such as an arcade game). The mechanical device may not grant the user more than 15 replays during a single session, however. The device also must not keep a permanent record of the number of replays accumulated by a single user.

Skill Crane Exception

• A crane game, defined by the Michigan statute as "an amusement machine activated by the insertion of a coin by which the player uses one or more buttons, joysticks or similar means of control, or a combination of those means of control, to position a mechanical or electromechanical claw, or other retrieval device, over a prize, toy, novelty or an edible item having a wholesale value of not more than $3.75, and thereby attempts to retrieve the prize, toy, novelty or edible item," is a legal game of skill in Michigan. It is only legal provided that there be a posting on the front of the crane game reading, "This game is not licensed or regulated by the state of Michigan." Every prize within the crane game must also be retrievable by the claw within normal play of the game.

Senior Citizen Exception

• Recreational card playing is permitted if it takes place at a senior citizen housing facility with at least 15 members over the age of 60. This permission is granted provided that the playing is solely for the amusement of the players and not for fundraising purposes. The stakes may not be more than 25 cents per bet, and the winnings from a single hand of cards may not be more than $5. The card playing may only occur between the hours of 12 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Fairground Act Exception

• The Michigan Exposition and Fairgrounds Act allows for limited instances of games of skill within the presence of a licensed local fair or carnival. The prizes must not exceed $50 in value, and they must not bear any resemblance to formal casino games. Also, a bowling game may allow a cash prize of no more than $1,000 for a game, and the prize must only consist of participation fees, which may not be more than $5 per person.