Our casino experts carefully evaluated all online casinos in Michigan and gave them a rating from 0 to 5 stars. This rating covers safety, fairness of T&Cs, player satisfaction, and many other factors.
Originally launched as Barstool Casino in January 2021, this casino became Hollywood Casino after PENN Entertainment dissolved its existing partnership with Barstool Sports to partner with ESPN.
The rebrand to Hollywood Casino officially took place on the 14th of November 2023 and the site merged with ESPNBet the following month. As of today, the only way to access Hollywood Casino is via the ESPNBet app; it is no longer available on the web. The site is licensed and regulated by the MGCB and offers more than 200 casino games.
To see if this rebrand has made a difference to the overall quality of this site, I created an account at Hollywood Casino and got to work analyzing all its features. After conducting my research, I gathered all my information and created this comprehensive Hollywood Casino review.
Rewards program
ESPN branded sportsbook
Multiple payment options
Dedicated mobile app
24/7 support
100x welcome bonus requirements
Limited game selection
Due to the platform’s primary focus on sports betting, you'll find that the majority of the promotions on the site are geared toward the sportsbook. However, there are multiple promotions for both new and existing customers being added all the time, providing you with plenty of additional value.
When I first looked at the Hollywood Casino welcome bonus, I have to admit I was a little confused about what the offer is and how it works. The terminology used isn't clear in communicating what players receive, and I can imagine that many beginners won't be able to understand what they're getting from this bonus.
The promotional banner says that players receive a 200% matched deposit bonus of up to $500 in eligible cashback with a 1% return on casino games. To help clear this up, "eligible cashback" is the casino's term for bonus funds, meaning you'll receive up to $500 in bonus funds when making your first deposit.
The 1% return is a complicated way of communicating the wagering requirements; casino players have a 1% return whereas sportsbook users have a 10% return. This means that to convert the maximum $500 into real money, casino players need to play $50,000 worth of casino games.
Overall, I'm not impressed with the welcome bonus, and there are certainly better options out there in other Michigan casinos.
One bonus offer that's much easier to understand is the site's no deposit free spins bonus. Simply create your account, and you'll receive 10 free spins that can be used on a variety of popular slots, including Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, and Gorilla Kingdom. Once you've placed your first cash wager of $1 or more, you'll get an additional 40 free spins that can be used on the same games.
What I love about this bonus is that these spins have wagering requirements of 1x, giving you a great opportunity to win real money.
As well as various bonuses and promotions running throughout the year, Hollywood Casino offers a loyalty program through the PENN Entertainment brand. This VIP Program runs at all of PENN Entertainment's physical casino locations as well as ESPNBet/Hollywood Casino. There are a total of five tiers in this VIP Program:
| VIP Program Tier | Tier Points |
|---|---|
| Play | 0-999 |
| Advantage | 1,000-17,999 |
| Preferred | 18,000-49,999 |
| Elite | 50,000-199,999 |
| Owners Club | 200,000+ |
Players can earn increased rewards as they move up through the tiers, including low hotel rates, complimentary cruises, and complimentary stay packages in Las Vegas.
As well as Tier Points, players can earn PENN Cash for playing their favorite casino games. PENN Cash is given to players at set intervals based on their tier status:
● Play/Advantage players receive $10 PENN Cash for every 3,000 Tier Points earned.
● Preferred players receive $25 PENN Cash for every 5,000 Tier Points earned.
● Elite players receive $150 PENN Cash for every 25,000 Tier Points earned.
● Owners Club players receive $500 for every 50,000 Tier Points earned.
PENN Cash can be redeemed at the PENN Marketplace at a rate of $1 = $1 PENN Cash; this marketplace offers a variety of great gifts and unique experiences.
One of the great features of Hollywood Casino is its range of banking options. There are more than 10 deposit and withdrawal options to choose from, including big names such as Visa, Apple Pay, and Venmo, giving you complete flexibility when managing your bankroll. You can even make deposits and withdrawals in person at the Greektown Casino in Michigan.
While using the site I was pleased with how easy it was to make deposits and withdraw my winnings; it only took a couple of clicks to move my money around, allowing me to focus on playing my favorite games. Another feature of the banking process that I liked was the lack of transaction fees for both depositing and withdrawing, allowing me to keep 100% of my money.
For a full breakdown of the payment options available at Hollywood Casino, take a look at our table below.
| Payment Method | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Withdrawal | Transaction Fee | Average Withdrawal Time |
| Credit/Debit Card | $10 | N/A | 0% | N/A |
| ApplePay | $10 | N/A | 0% | N/A |
| Online Banking | $10 | $0 | 0% | 2-3 Business Days |
| ACH/eCheck | $10 | $0 | 0% | 2-3 Business Days |
| PayPal | $10 | $0 | 0% | Instant |
| Skrill | $10 | $0 | 0% | Instant |
| Venmo | $10 | $0 | 0% | Instant |
| Cash at Cage | $10 | $0 | 0% | Instant |
| Wire Transfer | $10,000 | $50,000 | 0% | 24 Hours |
| Paper Check | N/A | $250 | 0% | 14-21 Business Days |
One area of Hollywood Casino that is lacking when compared to its competitors is the game library. While I was impressed with the quality of games on offer, the number of options is significantly lower than in most other online casinos in Michigan. There are only 200-300 games on the site, and while I had no problems finding games I liked, more discerning casino players may be disappointed.
To shine a light on what’s in Hollywood Casino's portfolio, let’s take a look at the most popular gaming options on the site.
● Megaways – With more than 100,000 ways to win, Megaways slots are some of the most popular slot varieties available at online casinos. Hollywood Casino offers a choice of well-known titles, including Hypernova Megaways, 88 Fortunes Megaways, and Divine Fortune Megaways.
● Live casino – Hollywood Casino offers a variety of table games in the immersive live casino format, giving you an authentic casino experience from home. You can play popular games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat, just to name a few.
● LuckyTap – Otherwise known as instant win games, this brand of casino games is popular thanks to the fast-paced action they offer. Hollywood Casino offers popular titles including Wealthy Pig LuckyTap, Slick Riches LuckyTap, and Year of the LuckyTap.
There's no doubt that the game library at Hollywood Casino is sparse compared to other Michigan online casinos, but one thing you can't deny is the quality of the games on offer. This is due to the variety of quality game developers that provide games for the site.
There are more than a dozen different industry veterans that offer casino games on the site, including NetEnt, IGT, Evolution, and Games Global.
With strong developers like these, it's no surprise that every game I played was top-quality. Given the depth of talent on offer, I feel confident saying that most players will enjoy a quality gaming experience at Hollywood Casino.
At the time of writing, Hollywood Casino is only available on your mobile device via the ESPNBet app. ESPNBet is available for download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, making it easy to download, install, and update your app.
Having thoroughly tested the platform, I was impressed with what I saw. Both the casino and sportsbook were very easy to use from my mobile device; the buttons were responsive and the loading times were fast. I loved how easy it was to navigate the app and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the performance was, even when playing modern slots with detailed animations.
One of the most important parts of any online casino is the customer service team; you need to know that you’ll be supported if anything goes wrong while playing with your hard-earned money. Hollywood Casino has two ways to contact the support team; a live chat system and an email system.
Players can speak to a live chat representative 24/7, and I found this the easiest way to get an issue resolved. It only takes a minute or two to get connected to an agent, and once you're connected, you'll find they're extremely helpful when answering your questions or resolving your problem. The email team is also helpful, but it takes a few hours to hear back from them, so I recommend using the live chat team where possible.
● Email – support@espnbet.com
● Live chat – https://espnbet.com/account/help/support
Penn Sports Interactive, the operator of ESPNBet and Hollywood Casino is fully licensed and regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Players must be located within the state of Michigan to play on the site. Only players who are 21 years or older are allowed to sign up for Hollywood Casino.
Having a license from a recognized gambling authority such as the MGCB is important for an online casino, as it’s an indication that they’re offering a safe and secure place to play. We at Michigan Chips believe that Michigan residents deserve to play at casinos they can trust, that's why we only recommend casinos that are fully licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
When reviewing an online casino, arguably the most important part of my job is to understand how safe the site is to play on. Coming from a brand as world-renowned as ESPN, it's highly likely that the site has taken every necessary measure to create a safe and trustworthy place to play, but I'm here to check anyway.
The site is fully licensed by the MGCB, which demonstrates that they have attained a high level of site security and player safety. While on the site, I also noticed that it was using the latest encryption technology, ensuring that any data you send will remain secure. Players can even add an extra layer of security to their account by enabling 2FA in Settings.
Hollywood Casino is also committed to creating a safe environment for its players, offering a choice of responsible gambling features. Players can set daily, weekly, and monthly limits, as well as daily time limits and loss limits to stay in control of their gambling. There is also the option to self-exclude from the site by contacting support.
There is also a plethora of information on how to gamble responsibly and links to responsible gambling organizations such as the NCPG which can be found in the Responsible Gaming section of the FAQ.
Overall, Hollywood Casino is a solid option for Michigan casino players, but it's somewhat lacking compared to its biggest competitors. Its biggest pitfall is the lack of games, although the high wagering requirements won't win over many players.
That being said, the quality of games on offer is extremely high, as is the range of banking options and mobile gaming experience.
If you've tried all the big sites and want to play somewhere new, Hollywood Casino is a great option, but for new casino players, there are better options out there.
