Five mobile sports betting bills were introduced in the Mississippi state legislature this session and all five died in committee. In the House, state Rep. Casey Eure, chairman of the House Gaming Committee where four of the measures were rejected, said they faced opposition from five local casino operators. “I think we’ve hit a roadblock,” he said.
Mississippi has had a lucrative sports betting market since August 2018, but bettors are required to place their wagers in person at one of the state’s 36 casinos and parimutuel venues located in 13 cities. Bets can be placed using a mobile app that only works on-site.
Cedric Burnett introduced HB 184 on January 4. He said, “The thought is, mobile wagering is a convenience. It’s just that simple, I don’t gamble a lot. It’s inconvenient for me to go to the casino to actually make the sports bet, but to be honest with you, I will bet if I had the opportunity to on my cellphone. I have it with me all the time. It just makes sense.”
Other failed sports betting bills were Eure’s and state Rep. Kevin Felsher’s HB 997 and state Rep. Jay McKnight’s HB 1165. Both bills were introduced on January 17 and referred to the House Gaming Committee.
In the Senate, Philip Moran introduced SB 2462 which included language defining a “digital platform” as “the operation of a sports pool or racebook over the internet, including on websites and mobile devices, by the holder of a gaming license or by an operator on behalf of the holder of a gaming license.” State Senator Scott DeLano also introduced SB 2652 which would have legalized online wagering “under certain conditions.” Both bills were introduced on January 17 and assigned to the Senate Gaming Committee.
Meanwhile, neighboring states are counting the tax revenue they receive from mobile sports wagering. Tennessee has offered mobile-only sports betting since November 1, 2020 and deposited $40 million in tax revenue in 2021. Sports betting launched in Louisiana on January 28. Observers said Arkansas, which kicked off legal retail sports betting in July 2019, could be next and Alabama lawmakers also are discussing the issue.
