Michigan's Henry Williams Recognized as 2024 American Gambling Awards' Regulator of the Year
In the bustling gaming landscape of Michigan, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has been at the forefront of ensuring a fair, safe, and responsible gaming environment. The MGCB, in partnership with the Michigan attorney general's office, seized 79 machines used for illegal gambling in 2023, and nine people received criminal gambling convictions, with 24 others arraigned on illegal gambling charges [1].
Under the leadership of Henry Williams, the executive director of the MGCB, the board has been actively working to stop the spread of unregulated gambling in Michigan. This includes cracking down on unregulated skill games, social and sweepstakes casinos, and offshore casinos and sportsbooks [6].
Michigan, one of the most gaming-active states in the nation, boasts 26 casinos (three commercial, 23 tribal), in-person and mobile sports betting, and online casino gaming (iGaming) [2]. The MGCB is responsible for licensing and regulating these online casinos and sports betting platforms, overseeing fair play, player safety, and responsible gambling in a growing market that generated $2.4 billion in iGaming revenue in 2024 [1].
Henry Williams is recognised as an industry trailblazer for assuring gaming operates with integrity. His efforts have been acknowledged by the American Gambling Awards, where he was voted the 2024 Regulator of the Year [7]. Charles Gillespie, Gambling.com Group co-founder and CEO, commended Williams for setting a gold standard for regulatory excellence in Michigan's gaming industry [8].
Interestingly, Williams' direct contributions to the iGaming industry in Michigan are not extensively documented in widely known sources. However, before being appointed to the MGCB, Williams spent the previous 20 years as the board's deputy director of casino operations and is a licensed social worker [9].
The American Gambling Awards, an annual event, highlight the top companies, products, and executives in the regulated U.S. online gaming market. This year, the awards featured 12 categories, including Online Casino of the Year, Gaming Product of the Year, Online Sportsbook of the Year, and C-Suite Gaming Executive of the Year [4]. The 2024 American Gambling Awards were judged by a panel of 20 industry leaders, including BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins, and FanDuel CEO Amy Howe [5].
The MGCB has also sent cease-and-desist letters to three companies (two U.S. and one overseas) for offering online gaming in the state without a license [3].
In a separate development, Henry Williams, a veteran print and broadcast reporter and editor with experience in states with gaming industries, such as Tennessee and Louisiana, was not found to have a direct role in the MGCB or the iGaming industry in Michigan in the search results up to the current date [10].
[1] Michigan Gaming Control Board Annual Report 2024 [2] Michigan Gaming Control Board - Casinos [3] Michigan Gaming Control Board - Unlicensed Activity [4] American Gambling Awards - Categories [5] American Gambling Awards - Judges [6] Michigan Gaming Control Board - Unregulated Gambling [7] American Gambling Awards - Regulator of the Year [8] Gambling.com Group Press Release - Henry Williams wins Regulator of the Year at the American Gambling Awards [9] Michigan Gaming Control Board - Executive Director [10] Search Results for Larry Henry and MGCB
Following Henry Williams' efforts to regulate unregulated gambling in Michigan, the MGCB is also responsible for ensuring legitimacy in the online casino and sports betting sectors. As stated in the Michigan Gaming Control Board's 2024 Annual Report, the board has sent cease-and-desist letters to companies offering online gaming in the state illegally [3]. Furthermore, Williams' work in the industry has earned him recognition as the 2024 Regulator of the Year at the American Gambling Awards [7].
