The Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act, which aimed to legalize mobile sports betting in the state, was stalled in legislative negotiations. Despite both the House and Senate passing versions of the bill, concerns about its impact on casinos prevented it from advancing. Although sports wagering has been legal in Mississippi for years, online betting has remained prohibited. The bill aimed to address this by allowing the state to join the 30 others where mobile sports betting is legal.
Republican Rep. Casey Eure of Saucier, the bill’s sponsor, estimated that legalizing mobile sports betting could generate over $25 million in tax revenue annually for the state. Additionally, legalization would reduce the appeal of illegal offshore sports betting platforms in Mississippi, which has one of the highest rates of illegal online sports betting Google searches in the country.
During discussions in the Legislature, some lawmakers raised concerns about smaller casinos being left out of partnerships with betting platforms and most of the revenue flowing to established casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Despite these concerns and a deadline to present a final proposal, no agreement was reached before it passed without an agreement being reached. Michael Goldberg is a reporter with AP/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative who covers underreported issues at local newsrooms. You can follow him on Twitter at @mikergoldberg.