Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Mississippi
Believe it or not, Mississippiwas one of the frontrunners for legalized sports betting.
In 2018, the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act to open the door for state-regulated wagering. But Mississippi had already begun the process a good year before this landmark decision.
Mississippi state laws do not directly prohibit the use of internet-based offshore sportsbooks for betting or do US federal gambling laws. Therefore, MS players are free to use the offshore online sportsbooks recommended here in addition to domestic state-licensed brick and mortar sports betting options. Mississippi Sports Betting Bills.
State-wide online sports betting is still not allowed from domestic sportsbooks, but the casinos are poised to offer an online sportsbook that can be used while on casino grounds. Mississippi residents interested in betting online have the option of using legal offshore sportsbooks. Mississippi state law does not allow online gambling sites to function within its borders. This just means that Mississippi residents should turn to any of the legal online gambling sites that we review. Mississippi gambling age is 21, so make sure you are of age before you venture into the online gambling world. The first sports bets in Mississippi were placed on August 1, 2018. The state enacted a law in 2017 that allowed for sports betting. Missouri: Not legal, but legislation proposed.
The Magnolia State in 2017 repealed a portion of its state law that criminalized sports betting, as legislators had already started preparing to craft regulations for legal wagering.
Where college football is king, where gambling has existed for centuries, Mississippi wasted little time capitalizing on the Supreme Court’s PASPA ruling. Rules were drafted within hours of that 2018 decision, applications began trickling in a month later, and on Aug. 1, 2018, the industry opened.
Now, 29 properties in the state offer regulated wagering, though the industry essentially remains limited to water- and land-based casinos. Online sports betting technically exists, but only while bettors are physically at one of those properties.
Here’s a deep dive into the current state of Mississippi sports betting, how it came to be and where it could go.
A proposed mobile sports betting bill could bring online wagering to Mississippi as early as July 2021.
State Senator Scott DeLano introduced Senate Bill 2396 Monday, which contains language that would amend Mississippi’s current sports betting laws to include online wagering. Retail sports betting was legalized in the state in August 2018.
DeLano’s proposed measure seeks to expand the current sports betting laws to “legalize online betting, gaming and wagering on sporting events, athletic events and events authorized by the Mississippi Gaming Commission under certain conditions; and for related purposes.”
The bill doesn’t include specifics on tax rates, licensing fees, or the number of online licenses allotted. It does outline a structure that allows each awarded license to operate one online sports betting platform.
July 1 Target Date For Online Sports Betting
The bill would go into effect on July 1, 2021, if approved. The road to approval would include passing through the state House and Senate before getting the final green light from Governor Tate Reeves.
The introduction of SB 2396 marks the third consecutive year an online sports betting bill has been proposed in Mississippi. State Rep. Cedric Burnett introduced measures similar to SB 2396 in both 2019 and 2020, but neither bill made it to a vote in the House.
Mississippi hosts 36 land-based casinos, most of which offer retail sports betting on-property. Companies like FanDuel, DraftKings, and William Hill already operate land-based sportsbooks in the state.
Sports Betting In Mississippi
With sports betting biggest brands already operating in Mississippi, The Magnolia State looks like a prime market for an expansion into online sports betting.
Update On Sports Betting In Mississippi
According to figures from the Mississippi Gaming Commission, Mississippi’s retail sportsbooks took $55.3 million in wagering handle for December 2020, producing $7.76 million in taxable revenue. Sports betting revenue in Mississippi is taxed at 12% (8% to the state and 4% to local government).