Friday, January 31, 2025

Mississippi Considers Online Sports Betting Again

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After efforts failed in May, lawmakers in Mississippi are once again looking to legalize mobile and online sports betting with a new legislative session getting underway.

Rep. Cedric Burnett (D) filed House Bill 682 last week to allow those in the state to make wagers from their mobile phones and computers. The state already allows betting at casinos and the use of mobile apps to wager on sports while at those properties, but has yet to allow mobile wagering from anywhere else in the state.

Details On The Plan

Under the plan, sports betting would still be taxed no higher than 8%. The bill would allow for the state’s casinos to apply for a license to offer online betting and partner with one mobile wagering company each.

A similar bill won broad approval in the House last year but didn’t receive a vote in the Senate. Several neighboring states have also legalized online sports betting in recent years including Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana, perhaps putting added pressure on Mississippi officials to keep up.

There are some signs that the issue may have some bipartisan support. Last year the idea received backers from both parties and was passed by both houses of the legislature. However, the issue then died during rehearing.

However, there is also some key opposition. Sen. David Blount (D), the Senate Gaming Committee Chairman, has said he would only support a bill if the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) requested one. MGC Executive Director Jay McDaniel hasn’t asked for a bill, according to reports.

Blount has also expressed reservations about what the industry could bring to the state.

“The reason we have gaming in the state is for tourism, to bring new people to the state, to encourage investment in the form of hotels and amenities to grow the economy, and to support the jobs of the tens of thousands of people,” Blount told WTNM. “Mobile sports betting doesn’t do any of that. Mobile sports betting does not drive tourism. It does not drive any economic investment in our state.”

There appears to be plenty of interest for sports betting in the state. Geolocation firm Geocomply recently reported that there were about 10 million attempts by people located in Mississippi to access legal sportsbooks from Sept. 5 to Jan. 5. The site also noted that bettors from the state had over 200,000 active accounts during the same period, up 77% from the previous year.

The move toward legalization comes as the state’s live casino industry has seen a bit of a downturn. In 2023, Mississippi’s 29 casinos totaled $2.48 billion in gross gaming revenue, while offering nearly 42,000 jobs. In 2024, however, revenue fell slightly to $2.23 billion.

 

 

 

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