The Magnolia state took a significant step toward the regularization of online sports betting.
Although traditional sports wagering has long been legal, online betting has remained prohibited due to concerns about its potential impact on the revenue of the state’s casinos. However, the Mississippi House has approved House Bill 774, signaling a move towards legalizing mobile sports betting within the state.
“It would allow you, in the state of Mississippi, to place a mobile sports bet on your phone in the comfort of your home, in your vehicle, or wherever you might be,” Rep. Casey Eure told WAPT News. “We’re also seeing (Mississippians) drive across the state lines, place a bet, and then come back to Mississippi.”
Tax Fee
At first, the bill introduced a 12% tax on sports wagers, allocating 4% to local areas hosting casinos and 8% to the state. However, it underwent revisions, directing the entire 12% towards a state fund earmarked exclusively for emergency road and bridge repairs.
According to the American Gaming Association, mobile sports betting is already legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C., including three surrounding states. Six additional states are currently considering bills that would legalize online sports betting.
Not All Lawmakers Are On Board
If this law passes, online gaming platforms would need to work out agreements with licensed gambling establishments to offer online sports betting within the state.
“With 26 casinos, there are approximately 30 to 40 platforms out there, and you’re allowed to create your own platform so it doesn’t hold you back from creating your (own) platform. DraftKings and FanDuel can partner with all 26 casinos, but all 26 casinos can’t have 40 different platforms,” Eure told WJTV News.
However, there’s a concern raised by House Democratic Leader Robert Johnson. He worries that the big casinos along the Mississippi Gulf Coast might benefit the most, while smaller casinos could miss out.
To address this, he proposed an amendment to ensure that licensed gaming establishments near where bets are placed also get a share of the revenue.
Despite the Republicans tabling the amendment, Johnson still voted in favor of the bill. He believes that the legalization of mobile sports betting is bound to happen and considers it “inevitable.”
What’s Next for the Mississippi Online Sports Betting Bill?
Eure predicts that if the state passes the law, it could rake in $25 million to $35 million in revenue during the initial year.
A 13-member online sports betting task force recently completed a 95-page online sports betting study that estimated Mississippi could see upwards of $27 million in tax revenue by fiscal year 2029 if online sports betting was approved.
Next up, the bill moves to the Senate. For the bill to become law, it needs to go through a few steps.
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First, it must pass the Senate committee. Then, it has to get a full vote on the Senate floor. If the Senate makes any changes to the original bill, it will need to go back to the House for their approval. Finally, if everything goes smoothly, it can then move to the governor’s desk for the final decision.
The ball is rolling, albeit, uphill. But for sports betting fans in Mississippi, there’s now hope.
