Mississippi’s new sports betting regulations took effect on July 21, and the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica took their first legal sports wagers on August 1 at 12 p.m. Central Time.
MGM Resorts International issued a release stating, “The two Mississippi gaming resorts, both part of the MGM Resorts International portfolio, will celebrate the occasion with invited guests placing simultaneous first bets in the two locations at opposite ends of the Magnolia State. These first sports wagers will be placed on the 26th anniversary of the first casino bet made in Mississippi’s modern casino age, when the first pair of dice was rolled at the Isle of Capri in Biloxi on August 1, 1992.”
Among the dignitaries and sports figures invited to place the first wagers were Willis McGahee, former NFL Pro Bowl running back (2003-2013); New Orleans native Robert Royal, former NFL tight end (2002-2010); and handicapper and sports analyst for USA TODAY, Danny Sheridan. MGM has partnered with GVC to operate the sports books.
For now, wagers must be made on-premises only. Mississippi’s enabling legislation, written in 2017, only allows sports betting in person and via mobile on-site at casinos.
Mississippi is the third state, following Delaware and New Jersey, to allow sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal ban in May. Mississippi also is the only Southern state to offer sports betting this season.
More than a dozen Mississippi casinos applied for licenses, said Mississippi Gaming Commission Executive Director Allen Godfrey.
“It’s been exciting, it’s been busy and we’re starting to get applications in. Operators are diligently preparing. It appears that the enthusiasm is high.” Godfrey added, “We’ve had staff in Nevada, we’ve had them in New Jersey. We talk constantly with these other agencies and the model we are after is the Nevada model.”
Analysts aren’t sure about the economic impact of sports betting in Mississippi. In Delaware, the first full month of sports betting in June generated $7 million wagered. In 2017, Mississippi collected a total of $250 million in gaming tax revenues. Some estimates suggest sports betting tax revenue in Mississippi will generate less than $10 million per year, however, that doesn’t include an increase in traditional casino play from more on-site visitors.
Boyd Gaming’s IP Casino in Biloxi and Sam’s Town in Tunica also are planning to offer sports books in early August, pending gaming commission approval, said Boyd Director of Corporate Communications David Strow. He said, “Most of our construction is now complete,” at both facilities. George Cole, previously the director of race and sports for the Aliante Casino Hotel in North Las Vegas, was hired as the sports director to oversee both operations.
Caesars Entertainment officials said sports books at Harrah’s Gulf Coast Casino in Biloxi and Horseshoe Tunica will open in mid-August, through a collaboration with Scientific Games Digital, which will power the Caesars properties with its OpenBet sports book technology.
In a statement, Caesars said, “Over the course of the next nine months, Caesars Entertainment will be building out the facilities to create the same world-class sports betting experiences currently available at its properties in Nevada. Caesars Entertainment plans to quickly introduce mobile sports betting throughout New Jersey and on property in Mississippi on the Caesars Casino & Sports mobile app HERE.” Most if not all of the other Coast casinos are expected to open their sports books by the start of the regular football season in early September.
At the Beau Rivage, Will Hall was hired as race and sports book manager. Construction is complete on the 7-window sports betting counter outside the poker room at the resort. In addition, the former Coast nightclub and piano bar area are transforming into a sports book and bar, which will be open to the casino, where fans can place bets, order food and beverages and watch the games.
Golden Nugget partnered with SBTech to operate in both Mississippi and New Jersey
Betting on horse racing is expected to come a few weeks or months after the sports books open at Mississippi casinos.
