In Mississippi, sports bettors will continue to place wagers in person only, after House and Senate measures that would have allowed mobile sports betting recently missed the deadline to advance out of committee.
State Senator Willie Simmons, the sponsor of the Senate mobile sports betting bill, said, “We think as we move forward, we’re going to continue to look at that because it would generate dollars and additions we need for the state. Passing legislation is kind of like a courtship you have with a significant other. You have to date it, work it, nurture it and get it to where you can have a marriage. So we know when we put together a piece of legislation like that, that it’s a challenge for us, but we’re not going to give up.”
Observers said concern over underage gambling was partly to blame for the failure of the bills. As a result, the state could miss out on millions of dollars in revenue, they said, noting New Jersey, which allows mobile sports betting, posted $35 million in handle and more than $650 million in the past two months. More than two-thirds of that money came from mobile and online platforms.
December has been the best month yet for Mississippi sports betting, with $6 million in handle on more than $41 million wagered. Only Pearl River Resort on the Choctaw Indian Reservation offers online sports betting; it remains Mississippi’s only tribal sports book.
