Multiple gambling bills proposed in early 2022 for Mississippi mobile platforms
Yo, Let's Get This Show on the Road
Legislators in good ol' Mississippi are hustlin' to legalize mobile sports betting during the 2022 session, and they ain't playin' around! Rep. Cedric Burnett kicked things off by introducing HB 184 on January 4, aiming to bring mobile sports wagering to the state.
Since Burnett's move, more bills have popped up in both the Mississippi House and Senate with the same goal—legalize mobile betting. But it ain't the first time this topic's been on the agenda; past attempts in the past three years have all ended up inFailureville.
Looks like Mississippians will have to wait even longer for their shot at legalized online sports betting, according to a report from The Sun Herald. Rep. Casey Eure ain't holding back; he told The Sun Herald that we've hit a roadblock, and he doesn't expect sports betting legislation to make it past committee during this session with the deadline fast approaching on Feb. 1.
Sports Betting Bills Galore
HB 184, Burnett's bill, was sent to the House Gaming Committee immediately after being proposed. Burnett believes Mississippi is way overdue for mobile sports wagering legalization.
"It's just damn convenient," Burnett says. "Some folks may gamble a ton, I ain't one of them, but if I had the chance to place bets on my phone—I'd be game!"
Mississippi's casinos already allow retail sports betting. A few of these properties offer apps, allowing you to bet on your phone—but only if you're physically on the casino property. The debate around mobile wagering in the state centers around sportsbook operators needing to partner with existing casinos.
Burnett understands this perspective, but he's received mostly positive feedback about his bill. Smaller casinos, however, have expressed concerns about the legislation, worrying that national sportsbook operators might side with bigger casinos.
"Mobile sports betting ain't gonna take anything from casino revenue," Burnett assures us.
Eure and Rep. Kevin Felsher followed Burnett with HB 997, introduced on the same day, which was also referred to the House Gaming Committee. HB 1165, introduced by Rep. Jay McKnight on January 17 and also sent to the House Gaming Committee, is another bill on the table.
Over in the Senate, Philip Moran presented SB 2462 on January 17, and it was sent to the Senate Gaming Committee the same day. SB 2652, introduced by Scott DeLano, is hoping to legalize online wagering "under certain conditions"—presented on January 17 and sent to the Senate Gaming Committee as well.
All five bills made their debut but have yet to advance beyond the initial introduction phase, though Burnett remains optimistic that his common-sense bill might make the cut.
Racing Included?
Many of the sports betting bills also include language related to legalizing "racebooks" along with mobile sportsbooks. HB 1165 doesn't have racebook-specific language, but the others do.
SB 2462, introduced by Sen. Moran, defines a "digital platform" as "the operation of a sports pool or race book over the internet, including on websites and mobile devices, by the holder of a gaming license or by an operator on behalf of the holder of a gaming license."
Rep. Kenneth Walker also filed HB 588, which aims to establish the Mississippi Horse Racing Commission and legalize horse racing in Mississippi if passed. The legislative session for 2022 comes to a close on April 3.
Neighboring States Leading the Way
As Mississippi's lawmakers discuss mobile betting, their neighbors are cashing in on the tax revenue. Tennessee, for example, launched mobile betting on November 1, 2020, bringing in nearly $40 million in tax revenue in 2021.
Louisiana also joined the party in late January, expanding its sports betting options even further. Major sportsbook operators like BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel have set up shop in Louisiana.
Even Arkansas is working towards launching mobile betting, with a potential start before the Super Bowl—but the continued discussion of rules caused a delay.
With several neighboring states getting in on the mobile betting action, it's getting increasingly easy for Mississippi residents to cross state lines for mobile sports wagers—losing that potential tax revenue to neighboring states might push Mississippi legislators to finally act on sports betting legislation.
- Rep. Cedric Burnett has launched an initiative to legalize mobile sports betting in Mississippi, introducing HB 184 on January 4.
- Despite multiple bills aiming to legalize mobile betting in the Mississippi House and Senate, sports betting legislation doesn't seem likely to pass committee during the 2022 session, according to a report from The Sun Herald.
- Burnett's bill, HB 184, was sent to the House Gaming Committee, and he believes Mississippi is long overdue for mobile sports wagering legalization.
- Several neighboring states, like Tennessee and Louisiana, have already launched mobile sports betting, potentially gaining tax revenue that would otherwise be lost to these states.
- Other sports betting bills in Mississippi, such as HB 997, HB 1165, SB 2462, and SB 2652, also include provisions for legalizing "racebooks".
