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Sherri Welch is a senior reporter for Crain’s Detroit Business covering nonprofits, philanthropy, higher education and arts and culture. Before joining Crain’s in 2003, she covered automotive suppliers and tire makers for Crain’s Rubber & Plastics News. Poker Chips China
Charitable poker or "millionaire party" games in Michigan have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Authorized by the state's Bingo Act, the gaming events raise money for charities by allowing participants to place chip or "play money" wagers on games of chance customarily associated with a gambling casino. Typically, that's poker. Michigan charities secured 1,394 licenses for the charity games last year, up 137% from 587 approved event licenses in 2021 but down 35% from 2019 when charities secured licenses for 2,149 events, according to state figures.
Chip sales during the 2022 events totaled $67.9 million vs. $72.4 million in 2019.
Qualified charitable nonprofits netted about $4.9 million from the licensed events last year, with licensed suppliers, venues and the poker players themselves splitting the remainder.
That's down from the $6.3 million in net profit that went to charities that hosted the games in 2019, according to earlier figures provided by the Gaming Control Board, which monitors the charitable games along with casinos in the state.
Charities qualified to apply for up to four millionaire party licenses each year include educational, fraternal, religious, veterans, senior citizens and service nonprofits.
Sherri Welch is a senior reporter for Crain’s Detroit Business covering nonprofits, philanthropy, higher education and arts and culture. Before joining Crain’s in 2003, she covered automotive suppliers and tire makers for Crain’s Rubber & Plastics News.
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