If the supreme court decides to legalize sports betting across the country, Mississippi could be one of the biggest winners.
The legislature recently passed a bill that would ensure all betting would be regulated by the gaming commission if sports betting is ultimately allowed in Mississippi. This was done in order to ensure that the integrity of the events and the betting are protected.
“We are looking at sports betting helping the state, the Gulf Coast, the Central Market, but especially the Tunica market,” Said Larry Gregory, Executive Director of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association. “People love to engage in sports betting, you can see that throughout the country. It’s about a $400 billion illegal industry, so you can imagine once it is regulated here in the state, that people do want to participate in a legitimate regulated industry.”
Gregory added that he believes Mississippi will be one of the first out of the gate to offer sports betting and said that in the process the state will gain more revenue in the form of tourism that will boost the economy.
“We are going to use this to our advantage to get people engaged here, to get them to visit our state,” Gregory said. “Sports betting is the incentive to get them here, but there will be benefits to ancillary businesses, from gas to hotels to food and to any type of entertainment or tourist activities while they are here.”
