The push to legalize mobile sports betting in Mississippi will continue after a fruitless campaign in 2024, but one powerful lawmaker is not guaranteeing a change in heart on the matter.
Last year, legislation allowing those 21 and over to legally place wagers from mobile devices outside of the four walls of a licensed casino cruised through the House of Representatives before being met with resistance in the Senate. Ultimately, the Mississippi Sports Wagering Act died.
Now that a new legislative session has kicked off, the House is planning to move forward with another bill to bring legal mobile sports betting to Mississippi.
“On online sports betting, I think you’ll see the House pass something that obtains overwhelming majority votes, that to me, as the speaker, indicates that there’s a direction or a movement here.” Republican House Speaker Jason White, R-West, said. “This is kind of where most folks are, so to speak. I don’t know what the Senate’s position will be on that.”
Meanwhile, Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount, D-Jackson, is not as keen on the idea as his cross-chamber counterparts. Blount remains skeptical that mobile sports betting would not serve the intended purpose of gaming in Mississippi, which, in his opinion, is to spur foot traffic to the state and foster economic growth.
He is also concerned that legalizing mobile gaming could have ramifications on existing brick-and-mortar casinos in the state, noting the potential for job loss if folks elect to gamble on mobile devices instead of visiting casinos in person.
“The reason we have gaming in the state is for tourism, to bring new people to the state, to encourage investment in the form of hotels and amenities to grow the economy, and to support the jobs of the tens of thousands of people,” Blount said on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. “All of that’s a good thing. I don’t want to endanger that. Mobile sports betting doesn’t do any of that. Mobile sports betting does not drive tourism. It does not drive any economic investment in our state.”
In Mississippi, the only way to legally gamble on athletic events from a mobile device is if the bet is made inside a casino. Proponents see this as an opportunity to drive traffic into these facilities, while critics contend that those living in Jackson, Tupelo, Hattiesburg, or any area lacking a casino are not likely to drive to other parts of the state just to place a bet.
Mississippi Gaming Commission Executive Director Jay McDaniel paints a different picture than Blount’s. Even though mobile gaming outside of a casino is unlawful, many have turned to bookies who facilitate sports betting endeavors on the black market. McDaniel believes legalizing mobile sports wagering would bridge a gap and allow the state to tap into a revenue stream.
“Mobile gaming is already alive and well in the state. It’s just not regulated and it’s very hard for us to stop all of it,” McDaniel said. “I think certainly if they did pass it, it’s something where you’re at least adding some tax revenue where you’re not getting it right now.”
Nonetheless, Blount’s holdup remains that a bulk of Mississippi’s casinos are adamantly opposed to legalizing mobile sports betting. Two years ago, the legislature formed a study committee to assess the impact legal mobile gaming would have on the state. While Mississippi would be an immediate financial beneficiary if people of gambling age could legally bet on sports from home, some brick-and-mortar casinos contended that there would be long-term ramifications.
“The Mississippi gaming market operates on low margins. Anything that will reduce or lessen our revenues will harm our businesses and will harm Mississippi,” Island View Casino Resort task force representative Michael Bruffee said in November 2023. “To state it succinctly, statewide online sports betting will reduce our revenues, and it will harm Mississippi.”
Lawmakers attempted to look out for casinos’ bottom line last year, ensuring that mobile sports betting platforms — Draft Kings, FanDuel, BetMGM, etc. — would have to partner with one of the state’s casinos. The idea was that the casinos could propel foot traffic by syncing their rewards programs to online sports betting, thus luring folks from other parts of the state through free or discounted meals, hotel rooms, and other incentives.
While a new session yields new opportunities, the future of legal mobile sports betting in Mississippi remains uncertain. Blount acknowledged that the Senate is unlikely to draft a bill legalizing mobile gaming. However, he confirmed that they will review legislation sent over by the House.
To date, mobile sports betting is legal in 30 states. The most recent state to hop on board, North Carolina, had $198 million come in on wagers in the first week gamblers could bet from mobile devices.
