Mississippi House Approves Online Sports Betting
The Mississippi House of Representatives has approved legislation to legalize mobile sports betting, marking the second consecutive year lawmakers have attempted to pass such a measure. The approval, which came through an 88-10 vote on Monday, brings Mississippi closer to joining the growing list of states allowing online sports wagering.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:House Gaming Chairman Rep. Casey Eure, a Republican from Saucier, reintroduced the proposal after previous efforts failed to gain final approval in 2024. Mississippi has allowed sports wagering for years, and casino gambling has been a legal industry in the state for decades. However, online betting has remained prohibited, largely due to concerns that it could negatively impact revenue for the state's brick-and-mortar casinos.
Related: Mississippi Lawmaker Proposes New Online Betting LegislationAddressing these concerns, Eure emphasized that the newly approved Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act remains committed to supporting physical casino establishments. Under the legislation, all mobile sports betting operations in the state must be linked to a brick-and-mortar casino, ensuring that online gambling does not operate independently of existing gaming infrastructure.
One of the major revisions in this version of the bill is a provision allowing casinos to partner with up to two sports betting platforms instead of just one. This adjustment aims to ease concerns from casino operators and legislators representing regions that rely heavily on the gambling industry. By expanding the number of potential partnerships, lawmakers hope to ensure that both large and small casino operators can benefit from the new online betting market.
Concerns over fairness for smaller casinos were raised again during discussions. Democratic Leader Rep. Robert Johnson of Natchez expressed skepticism about whether gambling platforms like FanDuel or ESPN would partner with smaller casinos. While the legislation requires them to collaborate with a casino in Mississippi, there are no guarantees that agreements will be evenly distributed across the state.
To address potential revenue disparities, the bill includes a provision establishing a financial support fund for smaller casinos. This $6 million fund, which will be created using tax revenue generated from sports betting, will be available for qualifying establishments for the first five years following legalization. Any unused funds at the end of each year will be allocated to infrastructure projects, specifically road and bridge repairs.
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No Credit Cards, Parity Tax Included
Another significant addition to this year's legislation is a restriction on the use of credit cards for sports betting. This measure, requested by the Senate, is designed to mitigate the risk of gambling addiction by preventing users from placing bets with borrowed money.
The bill sets a 12% tax on sports wagers, with revenue distributed across all 82 counties through the Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund. Eure has argued that Mississippi is losing between $40 million and $80 million annually by keeping mobile sports betting illegal. Supporters of the bill believe legalizing online wagering would capture revenue that currently flows to unregulated, offshore gambling platforms.
Advocates have cited data showing significant demand for mobile sports betting in Mississippi. Since the start of the current NFL season, there have been nearly 8.69 million attempts by users within the state to access legal online sportsbooks. This, proponents argue, is evidence of a thriving illegal market that could be curtailed through legalization.
Currently, 30 states and Washington, DC, allow mobile sports betting. With the House's approval, the bill will now move to the Senate for consideration, where lawmakers will decide whether Mississippi should join the growing list of states that have embraced legalized online sports wagering.
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