Magnolia State sports bettors could spend next football season wagering from home, not just casinos, if legislative efforts find success this year.
The 2024 regular session of the Mississippi legislature began on Jan. 2 and could run until early May. At least one piece of online sports betting-related legislation has been introduced thus far during the session, House Bill 271, which was referred last week to gaming and appropriations committees.
H.B. 271 was brought forward by Democratic Rep. Cedric Burnett. It would allow wagering via "digital platforms," also known as online sports betting apps and websites. Those platforms could be operated by the holder of a Mississippi gaming license (a casino) or a licensed entity on their behalf, such as DraftKings or FanDuel.
The proposed legislation would also make it explicit that the state's sportsbooks could take action on esports, amateur events, and other, unnamed competitions authorized by the gaming commission. Operators would be subject to an 8% tax rate on their gross revenue over $134,000 per month, similar to casino gaming revenue.
A big "if"
If the bill passes, and that may not happen, it would take effect July 1. That would leave a few months for regulators to get their ducks in a row and make a launch in time for football season a possibility.
Again, though, there is no guarantee the legislation becomes law. There is also a chance that competing legislation will appear.
Mississippi has nearly 30 brick-and-mortar casinos in the state, which have physical sportsbooks and kiosks on their properties. While event wagering began at Mississippi casinos in 2018, there is no statewide option for mobile sports betting.
Not everyone is content for the status quo to continue. Mississippi lawmakers passed a bill in early 2023 creating the Mobile-Online Sports Betting Task Force.
After conducting three public hearings during the fall (where concerns were raised about legalizing mobile wagering), the task force released a report in December outlining a study of all things related to online sports betting.
As highlighted in the report, the lack of an authorized channel for mobile wagering has suppressed Mississippi's overall handle. Case in point: the state's sportsbooks took more than $500 million in action during 2023, but in Kansas, which has a similar-sized population and statewide online sports betting, more than $1.5 billion was staked last year.
“Mississippi’s five-year retail sports betting market is relatively mature,” the report notes. “Significant growth would likely be spurred by the adoption of online sports betting, addition of retail sports betting locations near new population centers, interest/growth in new sports to place bets (e.g., e-sports), or a federal effort to stop illegal sports betting.”
What is apparently likely to be the last meeting of Mississippi's Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force has begun. The body is studying all things online sports betting-related within the state, which has in-person wagering at casinos but no authorized mobile sportsbooks. pic.twitter.com/osvuGdh0P4
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) November 28, 2023
Members of the task force also heard from GeoComply, a company that helps online sportsbooks nail down the location of bettors. GeoComply provided data suggesting significant interest in online sports betting in Mississippi, including thousands of attempts by residents to access legal bookmakers outside the state.
House Gaming Committee Chair Rep. Casey Eure said during the task force’s hearings last year that he plans to introduce online sports betting-related legislation. His office did not respond to emailed questions from Covers before this story was published.
