The Mississippi House approved Thursday the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act, paving the way for the potential legalization of online sports betting in the state. The bill, passed by a vote of 97-14, aims to bring the state in line with the 29 others that have already embraced the practice. The Mississippi bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
The Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act is designed to legalize mobile sports betting, introducing regulations that mandate gambling companies to contract with brick-and-mortar gambling establishments.
Despite sports wagering being legal in the state for years, online betting has remained prohibited due to concerns about its potential impact on the state’s casinos.
Republican Rep. Casey Eure of Saucier, the bill’s primary sponsor, asserted that the state could generate an annual tax revenue of $25-35 million, according to estimates from the state Gaming Commission. Supporters note that Mississippi, home to one of the nation’s most active black markets, has been missing out on significant revenue.
Eure highlighted the prevalence of illegal betting sites across the U.S., with approximately $64 billion in wagers each year. Mississippi contributes about 5% to this black market, equivalent to about $3 billion in illegal bets.
After passing through a House committee earlier in the week, an amendment introduced by Eure on the floor altered the destination of the tax revenue. Originally, the bill proposed a 12% tax on sports wagers, with 4% allocated to localities hosting a casino and 8% to the state. The revised version directs the entire 12% to a state fund dedicated to emergency road and bridge repairs.
If the bill becomes law, online gaming platforms would need to negotiate agreements with licensed gambling establishments to establish a mobile sports betting presence in the state.
Concerns were raised by House Democratic Leader Robert Johnson of Natchez, who emphasized potential disparities in revenue distribution. Johnson proposed an amendment to ensure that licensed gaming establishments, particularly smaller casinos, would receive a share of the revenue from bets placed near their facilities.
Despite the tabling of the amendment, Johnson voted in favor of the bill, acknowledging the perceived inevitability of mobile sports betting legalization.
This development in Mississippi aligns with the ongoing national trend, with 38 states already allowing sports betting. The bill will now move to the state Senate for further consideration, coinciding with Georgia senators passing a similar bill on the same day.
