Mississippi state Senator Scott DeLano has introduced Senate Bill 2396 which would amend existing state law to allow online and mobile sports betting. Since sports betting was approved in August 2018, wagerers have been limited to betting on-site at land-based licensed casinos. If lawmakers approve the measure by July 1 and the governor signs it, online betting could launch in time for the 2021 National Basketball Association and National Football League seasons—but observers said that’s unlikely.
The bill did not include details about the number or cost of licenses or the tax rate on revenue. It did specify operators would be limited to one online sportsbook or one betting website per license.
Previously state Rep. Cedric Burnett filed similar bills in 2019 and 2020, which both failed.
Currently Mississippi has 30 casino properties that partner with numerous sports betting brands, including William Hill, MGM, IGT, Golden Nugget, Caesars, BetAmerica, FanDuel, DraftKings and more.
In 2019, sports betting took in more than $370 million in total handle, with $5 million going to the state in tax revenue. November revenue in November reached $8.1 million, a 113 percent increase over November 2020.
