Legislation For Mobile Sports Betting In Mississippi Introduced

The state legislature was introduced to Senate Bill 2396 that would make internet and mobile sportsbooks in Mississippi legal statewide.
Legalized sports wagering Mississippi has been confined to brick-and-mortar venues since 2018.
If passage is received in the House and Senate by March 26 and Governor Tate Reeves approves, mobile sportsbooks in Mississippi could go live by the summer.

JACKSON, Miss. – Land-based sportsbooks were legalized in Mississippi in August of 2018 and now a new proposal hopes to amend the current law to add mobile and internet sports betting platforms to the strictly retail industry.

Senate Bill 2396 was introduced and referred to the Senate Gaming Committee of the Mississippi Legislature on Monday by its sponsor Senator Scott DeLano.

The proposal wishes to change the law as it stands to allow for the very popular online sports gaming format that has swept the nation to be available for Mississippians.

The Introduction Of Senate Bill 2396

MS SB 2396 doesn’t go in-depth as far as details are concerned. There is no set tax rate on revenue mentioned or any fees that would go along with the applications for potential licensees.

And although there is no cap set for how many possible mobile sportsbooks could be seen in Mississippi, it does mention that any business receiving a license for an online sports wagering outlet would be limited to one operator. That would equate to one skin per applicant.

All of the same sporting events, wagers, and the like that retail sportsbooks in Mississippi are able to offer their patrons would crossover into the internet sports betting world.

DeLano’s proposal is simple and straightforward, asking lawmakers to amend the law. The taxes and other things he failed to mention in detail within the measure can be discussed during the legislative session where an agreement can be made. Should the bill pass, it is expected to take effect on July 1.

What’s Next For Mississippi Sports Wagering?

Similar bills have been brought to the attention of the Mississippi Legislature in previous sessions.

Each requested that mobile and online sportsbooks become legal in the Magnolia State but none have gone far enough among government officials to be greenlit.

Most states in the country with mobile sports betting receive the majority of their handle and revenue from these outlets. And with the Coronavirus Pandemic causing huge budget deficits, Mississippi could stand to earn a few extra dollars from a new revenue source that expanding their sports betting industry could provide.

There are currently 36 retail casinos in the state and almost all of them are licensed sportsbooks. Big named operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel have brick-and-mortar sports wagering venues that could easily open up their popular mobile applications if the law allowed for it.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) posted a combined handle of $55.3 million for December 2020 with $7.76 million made in revenue. This number could surge tremendously with the addition of a mobile sports betting market.

The Mississippi Legislature is presently in session and will adjourn for 2021 on March 26 where a final decision will be made on the proposal.

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Christina Monroe

Christina has been writing for as long as she can remember and does dedicated research on the newly regulated sports betting market. She comes from a family of sports lovers that engage in friendly bets from time to time. During the winter months, you can find Christina baking cookies and beating the entire staff at Mario Kart…the N64 version of course.