In 2018, Mississippi made a significant move by legalizing sports betting, following the repeal of the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
However, the online sports betting landscape in the state has remained restricted to geofenced sportsbooks on casino properties.
Now, two bills, HB271 and HB635, presented by Rep Cedric Burnett and Rep Jay McKnight, respectively, aim to change this by permitting sports enthusiasts to place bets via their mobile devices, regardless of their location within the state.
This marks the sixth attempt to introduce online sports betting in Mississippi, with House Bill 606 having been signed into law the previous year.
The initial proposal sought to enable all of the state’s land-based casinos to collaborate with online sportsbooks, but it underwent significant trimming in committee.
Among the neighboring states, Alabama is the only one bordering Mississippi that has yet to legalize online sports betting.
In contrast, Tennessee successfully launched online sports betting in 2020, while Arkansas and Louisiana followed suit in 2022.
The prospect of introducing online wagering has garnered widespread support as Mississippi’s sports betting market faced a challenging end to 2023.
In December of that year, the state’s handle stood at $48.9 million, reflecting a 34.3% decline from the $74.4 million recorded in December 2022.
This figure was also 21.6% lower than the $62.4 million generated in November 2023.
Concurrently, revenue for the same period reached $4.9 million, marking a 56.6% drop compared to December 2022.
However, it is worth noting that this revenue total represented a substantial 58.1% increase compared to the preceding month, with a win percentage of 10%.
Among the various casinos in Mississippi, coastal establishments remained the preferred destination for sports bettors, processing $31.6 million in wagers and accumulating $2.4 million in revenue.
American football emerged as the leading sport, attracting $14.5 million in bets, while basketball claimed the second spot with $7.7 million in wagers.
In conclusion, the push to expand online sports betting in Mississippi comes at a crucial juncture for the state’s sports betting industry, offering the potential to revitalize the market and cater to the preferences of modern bettors.