A Third Year of Stalemate: Mississippi's Struggle with Mobile Sports Betting
Mississippi once more denies mobile sports betting in 2025
The Mississippi Legislature's Perpetual Disagreement on mobile sports betting continues to brew trouble for bettors over 21, as mobile betting remains off-limits through locally regulated sites.
Representative Casey Eure, chair of the House Gaming Committee, took the first step by pushing House Bill 1302, also known as the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act. This bill aimed to legalize online sports betting and establish partnerships between gaming platforms and brick-and-mortar casinos in Mississippi. This allocation would allow the casinos a cut of the revenue earned through mobile sports betting.
Unfortunately, the bill met unfortunate demise in the hands of the Senate Gaming Committee, chaired by David Blount, D-Jackson. Blount argued, "Mobile sports betting doesn't do that. Mobile sports betting is in a lot of states, and a lot of people want to do that. I respect that, but it is a different product than the product that we already have."
The House's Retaliation resulted in the death of Senate Bill 2381 and Senate Bill 2510. The absence of mobile sports betting apps in Mississippi creates a void that denies the state substantial revenue. House Speaker, Jason White, R-West, explained, "That money will go elsewhere... instead of through the normal channels where our gaming officials could regulate it, and we would at least see the benefit of our operators making that money and Mississippians making it..."
In defiance of the status quo, making mobile sports betting apps legal in Mississippi would allow citizens to indulge in activities they have been breaking the law to do. However, without a compromise between the House and the Senate, Mississippi continues to be one of the 19 states shying away from mobile sports betting.
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News tags: Casey Eure | David Blount | HB1302 | Jackson | Jason White | Mississippi | Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act
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- Legislative Deadlock and Amendments: Recent attempts, such as Senate Bill 2510 (amended with mobile betting language), failed after a conference committee could not resolve differences between House and Senate versions. Rep. Casey Eure tried to add mobile wagering provisions to unrelated bills, but the Senate, led by Gaming Committee Chair David Blount, resisted these changes, prioritizing retail casino interests.
- Protection of Physical Casinos: Mississippi’s 2018 sports betting legalization aimed to restrict bets to in-person casino venues to boost foot traffic. Critics argue that mobile betting could erode casino visitation and associated revenue streams like hotel stays and dining.
- Revenue Concerns vs. Potential Gains: While proponents highlight lost tax revenue from bettors using offshore platforms or neighboring states, lawmakers remain divided. For example, recent retail sportsbook revenue dropped 29% YOY (Jan-Feb 2025), heightening fears that mobile legalization might not offset declines.
- Procedural Hurdles: The House’s strategy of attaching mobile betting language to unrelated bills, such as tidelands legislation, has led to procedural pushback and delays, further complicating passage.
These obstacles underscore the tension between modernizing Mississippi's gaming laws and safeguarding the state's casino-centric model, ultimately perpetuating the deadlock surrounding mobile sports betting.
- The Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act, or House Bill 1302, was introduced to legalize online sports betting and establish partnerships between gaming platforms and brick-and-mortar casinos in Mississippi.
- Despite the efforts of Representative Casey Eure, the bill met its end in the Senate Gaming Committee, chaired by David Blount, D-Jackson, who argued that mobile sports betting is a different product than what they already have.
- The failure of House Bill 1302 led to the death of Senate Bill 2381 and Senate Bill 2510 in retaliation from the House, creating a void that denies the state substantial revenue.
- Making mobile sports betting apps legal in Mississippi would allow citizens to engage in activities they have been breaking the law to do, while also generating revenue for the state.
- Without a compromise between the House and the Senate, Mississippi continues to be one of the 19 states that are shying away from mobile sports betting, despite the potential gains and lost tax revenue from bettors using offshore platforms or neighboring states.
- The ongoing deadlock in the Mississippi Legislature regarding mobile sports betting is due to several factors, including the protection of physical casinos, procedural hurdles, and the tension between modernizing gaming laws and safeguarding the state's casino-centric model.
