Mississippi Revives Mobile Sports Betting Legislation
Lawmakers in Mississippi on Monday renewed their efforts to legalize mobile sports betting in the Magnolia State.
State Rep. Jay McKnight (R-95th District) introduced HB519 entitled:
“An Act To Amend Section 75-76-5, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Revise The Gaming Control Act Definition Of “sports Pool” And Define “digital Platform” As A Person Or Entity That Operates A Sports Pool Or Race Book Over The Internet, Including on Websites And Mobile Devices.”
The bill, which would give each Mississippi casino operator an online sports betting license, has been referred to and is now in the hands of the House’s Gaming Committee.
This year’s legislation does not include the two licenses per casino that was proposed in 2025 and does raise taxes for online betting.
Online sports betting taxes will now be taxed at the same rates as in-person betting. These include sportsbooks with $50,000 or less in monthly revenue (4% on gross revenue), monthly revenue between $50,000-$134,000 (6%), and more than $134,000 in monthly revenue (8%).
Senator Seeks Sweepstakes Ban
An additional bill SB2104, sponsored by state Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-District 41), that will ban all sweepstakes casinos returns to this year’s legislative session after an initial failure in 2025.
The bill would make it a felony for operating a sweepstakes casino in the state, implementing a fine of up to $100,000 for those that wish to do so.
Last year, the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) issued 10 cease-and-desist orders in June to operators involved in illegal online gambling, which included sweepstakes casino operators (nine went to offshore betting/gambling sites, one went to a sweepstakes operator).
Also, another Mississippi lawmaker wants to see the state allow truck stops to offer video gaming terminals. That bill would put limits on how much can be wagered and won as well as the number of locations in each of the state’s congressional districts.
The state’s legislative session runs through Sunday, April 5 and should any of those bills pass, they would go into effect on Wednesday, July 1.
Retail Only in Mississippi for Now
The Magnolia State has 23 legally licensed retail sportsbooks on casino properties throughout the state including Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Gold Strike Casino Resort (BetMGM), Harrah’s Gulf Coast (Caesars), Golden Nugget (DraftKings), and others.
Four tribal casinos in the state (all owned and operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians) utilize Pearl River Sports.
A total of 39 states have legalized sports betting, 30 of those plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have legal mobile access.
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
