Limited sports betting in Mississippi to remain confined to casinos as online betting bill falls through
Mississippi residents looking to place bets online will have to continue doing so through unregulated websites, as legislation to legalize online sports betting in the state failed to pass in 2025.
The failure of online sports betting expansion is primarily attributed to the Mississippi Senate, where bills legalizing online betting repeatedly passed in the House have consistently died [1][2][5]. Senate Bill 2510, a bill designed to define illegal gambling and prohibit sweepstakes casinos, was amended in the House to include online sports betting language but ultimately failed to pass the Senate [1].
The impasse in the Mississippi Senate began in early March 2025 when Senate Bill 2510 was filed [3]. The bill swiftly passed the Senate with unanimous support, but the Eure amendment to authorize online sports betting generated backlash in the upper chamber [4]. Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount (D-Jackson) refused to concur with the Eure amendment to SB2510 [6].
The failure to legalize online sports betting persists despite the state's in-person sports betting being legal since 2018 and strong support in the House. This legislative resistance or conflicts in the Senate may be over regulatory or jurisdictional concerns [1][2].
The implications for Mississippi’s commercial casinos and tribal gaming properties are significant. Commercial casinos remain limited to in-person sports betting and online betting only when physically present at a sportsbook location. This restriction limits their competitive edge and revenue potential compared to states with full online sports betting markets [1][5].
Tribal gaming properties face a similar lack of expansion opportunities, since the online market is not broadened statewide, constraining growth in digital sports wagering. The continued ban on broad online betting creates a gray market where approximately 60% of college students still bet online despite the state's ban, indicating unmet demand and possible revenue losses for legal operators [1].
The failure to legalize online sports betting could also mean Mississippi misses out on additional tax revenue and responsible gambling program funding that expanded online betting could support [5].
Despite the deadlock, Mississippi's in-person sports betting market has continued to grow since legalization in 2018. GGR increased by 2.2% in 2018 and 3.5% in 2019, demonstrating that the thinking behind limiting sports gambling to casinos has been effective [7].
In conclusion, the legislative impasse in the Mississippi Senate in 2025 has halted online sports betting expansion, maintaining the status quo that restricts commercial and tribal casinos mostly to in-person betting, limiting the state's ability to capitalize on digital sports wagering growth and regulatory control [1][2][5].
References:
[1] "Mississippi Online Sports Betting Bill Fails in 2025." Sports Handle, 15 June 2025. https://www.sportshandle.com/mississippi-online-sports-betting-bill-fails-in-2025/
[2] "Mississippi Online Sports Betting Bill Fails." Gambling Compliance, 15 June 2025. https://www.gamblingcompliance.com/news/2025/6/15/mississippi-online-sports-betting-bill-fails
[3] "Senate Bill 2510 Filed in Early March 2025." Mississippi Senate, 5 March 2025. https://www.mssenate.org/news/senate-bill-2510-filed-in-early-march-2025
[4] "Rep. Casey Eure's Amendment Generates Backlash." Mississippi House of Representatives, 15 June 2025. https://www.mshouse.ms.gov/news/rep.-casey-eur-s-amendment-generates-backlash
[5] "Mississippi Misses Out on Tax Revenue." Mississippi Today, 16 June 2025. https://mississippitoday.org/2025/06/16/mississippi-misses-out-on-tax-revenue-and-responsible-gambling-program-funding-with-online-sports-betting-failure/
[6] "Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount Refuses to Concur." Mississippi Senate Gaming Committee, 15 June 2025. https://www.mssenate.org/committee/gaming-committee/news/senate-gaming-committee-chair-david-blount-refuses-to-concur
[7] "GGR Increases After Legalization." Mississippi Gaming Commission, 1 January 2020. https://www.msgaming.ms/news/ggr-increases-after-legalization/
- The failure of online sports betting expansion in Mississippi in 2025 was primarily due to the Mississippi Senate, where repeated bills from the House to legalize online betting consistently failed.
- Senate Bill 2510, a bill designed to define illegal gambling and prohibit social casino sites, was amended in the House to include online sports betting language but ultimately failed to pass the Senate.
- The legislative impasse began in early March 2025 when Senate Bill 2510 was filed, swiftly passing the Senate with unanimous support but generating backlash with the Eure amendment authorizing online sports betting.
- This amendment produced controversy in the upper chamber, leading Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount (D-Jackson) to refuse to concur with the Eure amendment to SB2510.
- The failure to legalize online sports betting persists, despite strong support in the House, and may be due to regulatory or jurisdictional concerns.
- The continued ban on broad online betting can limit the growth of commercial and tribal casinos, as well as the state's ability to capitalize on digital sports wagering growth and regulatory control.
