- The Mississippi House of Representatives approved an online sports betting bill
- House lawmakers approved Rep. Casey Eure’s (R-116) bill by an 89-11 vote
- The bill heads to the Senate, where it failed last session
Will it be the same old song and dance in Mississippi this year for online sports betting, or does a House approved bill actually stand a chance in the Senate?
The Mississippi House of Representatives yesterday approved Rep. Casey Eure’s (R-116) online sports betting bill, HB 1302, by an 89-11 vote, once against sending the legislation to the Mississippi Senate.
A similar course of events occurred last session, with the Senate pulling all sports betting language out of the approved bill and the law dying in a conference committee.
Will 2025 Be Different?
Will Eure’s bill stand a chance in 2025? While the majority of the legislation is similar to his 2024 bill, Eure has made a significant change for online sports betting to be more palatable for retail casinos in the state.
His bill earmarks $6 million annually to a new Retail Sports Wagering Protection Fund. The fund will allow casinos who choose to not partner with an online sports betting operators to apply for a portion of revenue from the fund.
“At the end of each calendar year, any licensed gaming establishment without a platform whose total annual sports wagering revenue is below the total annual retail sports wagering revenue the same licensed gaming establishment without a platform received in 2024 may apply for a portion of the funds in the Retail Sports Wagering Protection Fund,” Eure wrote in the bill.
The Retail Sports Wagering Protection Fund will receive $6 million annually through 2030.
Any additional revenue over the $6 million threshold will be placed in the state’s road and bridge repair fund.
State casino representatives protested an expansion of online sports betting in Mississippi due to fears of revenue cannibalization.
His bill also increases the number of potential online sports betting partners for the state’s 26 commercial dockside and land-based casinos from one to two.
The bill has yet to be heard by the Senate and transferred to a Senate committee.
Launch No Later Than Dec. 8, 2025
The bill sets a universal launch date of no later than Dec. 8, 2025.
The bill includes a tiered tax system for adjusted sports betting revenue as follows:
- 4% of gross revenue not surpassing $50,000 per month
- 6% of gross revenue that surpasses $50,000, but does not surpass $134,000 per month
- 8% of gross revenue that surpasses $134,000 per month
Each operator will also have to pay an additional 4% in gross revenue into the road and bridge repair fund. Operators would have to pay a maximum of 12% in adjusted gross revenue to the state depending on their revenue each month.
The Mississippi House of Representatives has once again approved a bill that would legalize online sports betting in the state. This marks the second time that the bill has passed through the House, signaling growing support for expanding gambling options in Mississippi.
The bill, known as HB 1013, would allow for online sports betting to be conducted through licensed casinos in the state. Supporters of the bill argue that legalizing online sports betting would bring in much-needed revenue for the state, especially as Mississippi continues to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Proponents of the bill also point to the success of neighboring states like Tennessee and Louisiana, which have already legalized online sports betting and have seen significant increases in tax revenue as a result. By legalizing online sports betting, Mississippi could potentially capture some of the revenue that is currently being lost to these neighboring states.
Opponents of the bill, however, have raised concerns about the potential negative impacts of expanded gambling in the state. Some worry that legalizing online sports betting could lead to an increase in problem gambling and addiction, while others argue that it could have negative social consequences.
Despite these concerns, the bill has received bipartisan support in the House, with lawmakers from both parties recognizing the potential economic benefits of legalizing online sports betting. The bill will now move on to the Senate for further consideration, where it will face additional scrutiny before potentially becoming law.
If the bill is ultimately signed into law, Mississippi would join a growing number of states that have legalized online sports betting in recent years. As more states move to legalize and regulate online sports betting, it is becoming increasingly clear that this form of gambling is here to stay. And with the potential for significant tax revenue and economic growth, it is no surprise that states like Mississippi are eager to get in on the action.
