Gambling is nothing new to the state of Michigan. It started with horse racing in 1933, before eventually expanding to casinos with card games and slots, and, in 2020, sports.

Then, one year ago, the Michigan gambling industry went all in.

Lawmakers gave the green light to gamble online in January 2021, helping the state hit the jackpot but putting compulsive addictions on high alert.

You’ve seen the commercials and the billboards along the highway – even if you don’t participate in gambling, you can’t escape it. Whether you like it or not, gambling is now a part of your life.

For some, like Michael Burke in Portage, gambling is nothing new.

“My gambling started out in Vegas of all places,” Burke told FOX 17. “We’d go once a year. It was fun; I had plenty of money; I had a great law practice, so money was never an issue.”