Michigan Gaming Control Board Adds Jim Ananich as New Chair

^{Former state senate minority leader Jim Ananich has been named as the new chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board. (Image: David Eggert / AP)}

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Jim Ananich as the new chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB). 

The MGCB announced the appointment on Monday, April 28, with Ananich set to serve a term that will end on Dec. 31, 2028.

Ananich Replaces Forte as Head of MGCB

The news of Ananich’s appointment came just days after Mike Dreitzer was named as the new chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

A Democrat, Jim Ananich is the former minority leader in the Michigan Senate, serving in that role from 2015 through Jan. 1, 2023. Ananich represented a region including the city of Flint.

“Jim Ananich is a proven leader with a long-standing commitment to public service and the people of Michigan,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said in a statement. “His legislative experience, strategic insight, and collaborative approach make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the Board as we continue our mission to ensure the integrity of gaming in Michigan.”

Ananich will take over for Linda Forte, whose term as the leader of the MGCB expired. Ananich’s tenure at the helm of the MGCB was made effective as of April 25. 

“On behalf of the entire Board and staff, I also want to thank Linda Forte for her steady leadership and dedicated service over the past several years,” Williams said in the same statement. “Her guidance has been instrumental in navigating the evolving gaming landscape and expanding our commitment to responsible gaming.” 

Former High School Teacher Has Long History in Michigan Politics

Ananich joins Joni M. Thrower Davis, Mark Evenson, Deidre A. Lambert-Bounds, and Andrew T. Palms on the five-member board. The Michigan Gaming Control & Revenue Act allows the state’s governor to appoint all board members, who must be Michigan residents. The law requires that no more than three board members belong to the same political party.

Ananich began his career by working as a high school social studies teacher. He is currently the president and CEO of the Greater Flint Health Coalition and lectures on topics related to state and local government at the University of Michigan-Flint. His political career included stints as President of the Flint City Council and as a State Representative.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board has developed a reputation as one of the stronger and more decisive gaming regulators in the United States. In recent years, the MGCB has levied punishments against unlicensed gambling operators running land-based casinos in the state.

But the MGCB has perhaps shown its muscle best when dealing with offshore online gambling providers. The board has sent cease-and-desist orders to many overseas operators that it says have conducted illegal gambling by accepting customers in Michigan, most recently including Panama-based operators BetOnline.ag and SportsBetting.ag.