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If you want to bet online in Mississippi, you still have a handful of options, just not with any of the state regulated gambling firms.
Legislation to allow those in the state to bet online from their homes has stalled for a third straight year.
The Mississippi House approved legislation to bring mobile wagering to the Magnolia State. And, once again, the Senate rejected the measure.
Current options include prediction markets (licensed federally), offshore sportsbooks (licensed internationally and accessible from the state), daily fantasy sports sites (state-licensed since 2016 but with limited options), and of course local bookies (not licensed but the second oldest profession in the world).
Mississippi was among the very first states to begin regulating sports betting following a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn decades of prohibition known as The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA).
BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook are licensed to operate sportsbooks in the state through partnership deals with existing land-based casinos.
BetMGM, Caesars and the Pearl River Resort even have their own sports betting apps. These can only be accessed and wagered on while present at the casino property, including the hotel and parking garage.
Those who were in favor of the failed legislation argue that mobile betting is already thriving in Mississippi, mostly courtesy of the offshore sportsbooks.
Prediction markets are also gaining steam over the last year. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket welcome customers form the Magnolia State.
The resistance to these legislative efforts comes mostly from the land-based casinos.
From Gambling News:
Many senators view the current casino ecosystem as a major economic force driving business development across the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi River states. Such venues generate thousands of jobs, and lawmakers are hesitant to disrupt the status quo. Local casinos also hold significant political influence and are reluctant to surrender market share to national brands.
Senator David Blount, who chairs the Senate Gaming Committee, remains a staunch critic. He maintains that mobile betting will undermine the core model that keeps casinos profitable. His concern is that if people can bet from the comfort of their couches, they would have little reason to visit a casino. The issue also had to compete with pension reform, education tax credits, and other budgetary matters, making it a lower priority.
Almost at the Finish Line in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is in a similar situation as Mississippi. The Badger State operates sportsbooks exclusively at land-based casinos.
Legislation in Wisconsin to legalize mobile sports betting passed in both the House and Senate but now sits on Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers desk to sign into law. Whether he does so or not remains a mystery....at least until Friday.
Unlike the Mississippi casinos, eight of eleven of Wisconsin's tribal casino operators support mobile sports betting.
Those eight tribes have sent a letter to Evers urging him o sign the legislation.
"Our nations share a collective mission of working to strengthen tribal sovereignty, maintaining the tribal nations' role as the primary operators and regulators of gaming in Wisconsin, and accomplishing a framework with mobile sports betting that benefits all Wisconsin tribes," reads a letter sent to the governor and members of the state Senate on March 16.
While generally supportive, Evers is said to still be weighing the issue.
The clock is ticking. In theory, Evers really had until today (Thursday March 26) to act, or else the bill will die via pocket veto. As of 8 pm local time, there is no indication Evers signed the bill into law. We should know something very shortly, so keep checking back here at Gambling911.com.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
