Mississippi’s Online Sports Betting Bill Teeters as Senate Stalls House Efforts
Mississippi’s quest to legalize online sports betting hangs in the balance, caught in a tug-of-war between the House and Senate. House Gaming Committee Chairman Casey Eure made a last-ditch move, slipping online betting provisions into two Senate bills, SB 2381 and SB 2510, to bypass Senate resistance. With the legislative session nearing its April 6 close, the clock’s ticking, and prospects look dim.
A House Play Meets Senate Pushback
The House has been gung-ho for online sports betting, passing the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act earlier this year. That bill would let casinos team up with online platforms, allowing bets from anywhere in the state, not just on casino grounds, where mobile wagering’s currently confined. Eure’s tactic aimed to keep the dream alive by piggybacking on Senate legislation. But it’s stirred a hornet’s nest instead.
Senate Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount slammed the maneuver, insisting sports betting and unrelated issues, like the Tidelands Act tied to coastal development, shouldn’t mix.
He argues the combo jeopardizes years of work on shoreline policies, a stance echoed by Secretary of State Michael Watson. The casino industry’s split on the issue doesn’t help, smaller operators fear losing foot traffic to home betting, though HB1302 offered them $6 million yearly to offset losses if they skip online partnerships.
Stakes and Stumbling Blocks
Legal online betting could pump $40 to $80 million annually into state coffers via a proposed tax, earmarked for road and bridge repairs. Supporters see it as a win-win. More revenue and a regulated market to curb illegal betting.
Yet, Blount and other critics worry it’ll dent casino visits, hike gambling addiction, and disrupt Mississippi’s gaming ecosystem, legal since 2018 but limited to physical locations.
Political friction’s heating up too. House Speaker Jason White took a swipe at Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, questioning whether Senate committee picks, like Blount, reflect Mississippians’ wishes. With time running out, the Senate’s reluctance could doom the effort, leaving the state among the few with in-person-only sports betting.
The April 6 deadline looms large. Eure’s legislative sleight-of-hand hasn’t swayed the Senate, and Blount’s opposition holds firm. The Tidelands tangle’s only muddied the waters, alienating some casino backers who’d otherwise cheer online expansion.
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