Mississippi declines action on sports betting, sweepstakes casinos
Several East Coast states are continuing to push for bans on online sweepstakes casinos.
In a recent legislative development, a Mississippi Senate bill aimed at both banning online sweepstakes casinos and legalizing mobile sports wagering was halted in committee on March 31st.
The debate surrounding Senate Bill 2510 highlights the division within the Mississippi state legislature. Initially, a version of the bill focused solely on prohibiting online sweepstakes casinos passed unanimously in the Senate. However, Rep. Casey Eure later amended the bill to include provisions for mobile sports betting, a move that many lawmakers viewed as a procedural strategy to increase support for the overall bill.
Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount has remained adamantly opposed to mobile sports betting expansion, asserting that he would only consider such an expansion should it be proposed by the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Currently, sports betting in Mississippi is limited to retail operations connected to physical casinos.
This past Thursday, the Senate missed an opportunity to reach a consensus on the bill, as a bicameral conference committee, comprising six lawmakers, including both Eure and Blount, was unable to arrive at a compromise.
Deja Vu for Mississippi Sports Betting Legislation
This situation marks the second consecutive legislative session in which Mississippi lawmakers have deliberated on mobile sports betting, ultimately leading to its rejection once again. Retail sportsbooks tethered to state casinos have experienced a sluggish start in 2025, with a reported revenue decrease of 28.9% compared to 2024, totaling just $6.4 million. Additionally, the betting handle has declined by 3.9% to $73.1 million within the same timeframe.
However, there is optimism for recovery as March brought increased engagement in sports betting due to Ole Miss and Mississippi State’s participation in the NCAA Tournament. Notably, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams from Ole Miss advanced to the regional semifinals, marking a significant achievement for their program, particularly the men’s team reaching this stage for the first time since 2001. Meanwhile, Mississippi State’s women’s team made it to the second round, while their men’s squad was eliminated in the opening round.
For a detailed analysis of this evolving situation and its implications for the Mississippi gambling landscape, read the full story here.
Casino Reports is an independently-owned publication dedicated to providing comprehensive coverage of the regulated U.S. online casino and iGaming industry. Our journalism includes timely news, insightful features, and original reporting on developments in business, legislation, regulations, and more.
