Mississippi Online Sports Betting Bill Advances
State Looking at Legalizing Online Sports Betting
On Tuesday, a Mississippi online sports betting bill advanced out of a committee and now will go to the full House. The Mississippi House Gaming Committee advanced what it calls the “Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act.” The bill would legalize statewide online sports betting in Mississippi. Right now, you can only bet online in Mississippi when you are on casino property. The move is expected to bring in an additional $25-$35 million in revenue for the state. That’s according to supporters who want the state to join the online U.S. legal betting market.
In addition to the revenue, supporters of the measure say it will cut down on the amount of money wagered illegally in the state. The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Casey Eure, said there is roughly $64 billion bet illegally in the U.S. annually. He estimated that 5%, or about $3.2 billion, is wagered by Mississippi residents. Lawmakers also said GeoComply shows millions of hits to legalized online sites in other states coming from Mississippi. Supporters said those are two reasons why there needs to be a Mississippi online sports betting bill.
If House Bill 774 becomes law, each of the state’s 30 legal casinos could partner with one online sportsbook. The bill is for betting on sports only. It does not legalize all forms of online gambling in the state. That should ease possible concerns the casinos may have. And it also ensures the casinos get a cut from each online wager placed in Mississippi.
This is the third online sports betting bill to be introduced in Mississippi this year. But HB 774 is the first to have Republican and Democratic sponsors. That leads to some optimism that this Mississippi online sports betting bill could pass.
What’s Next?
The bill will now go before all 122 members of the Mississippi House. If the House were to pass the bill, it would go to the Senate. But first, it would have to be approved by a Senate committee. Then, if the Senate passes the bill, it would go to the governor for signing.
The gambling news looks good for casinos, which have the potential to make more revenue without additional work. It will also allow more sports bettors the opportunity to bet on sports legally from their homes.
For sports gambling news, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
