The Mississippi Senate initially passed Sen. Joey Fillingane’s Senate Bill 2510 by a 51-0 vote. Fillingane’s bill would increase criminal penalties for offering illegal online gambling in the state and ban online sweepstakes gaming. House Representatives amended it earlier this month to include online sports betting language.
In February, the Mississippi Senate became the first chamber in the U.S. to pass a bill banning sweepstakes casinos. However, despite passing the initial legislation, the Senate rejected it for the sports betting language.
SB 2510 now heads to a conference committee, with the Senate represented by Fillingane, Sen. Mike Thompson, and Sen. David Blount. For the time being, this means sweepstakes gaming remains legal.
Although sweepstakes casinos are not defined in the bill, the measure still classifies them as unlicensed operators. Under the proposal, violations would be felonies, punishable by up to $10,000 in fines and up to 10 years in prison.
Sports Betting Is Legal In Mississippi At Land-Based Casinos
The House provisions in SB 2510 include a 12 percent tax and up to two licenses per retail casino, in addition to legalizing online sportsbooks and allowing individuals over 21 to place bets anywhere in the state.
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) expressed disappointment in the legislation:
“This bill not only misrepresents the nature of sweepstakes gaming — an established and consumer-friendly model — but also sets a troubling precedent by equating these operations with illicit gambling,” a statement reads.
“Rather than enacting punitive measures that reduce innovation and consumer choice, we urge lawmakers to consider a regulatory approach that enshrines transparency and consumer protections while allowing Mississippi adults to continue enjoying the fun, fair, and free-to-play games offered by social sweepstakes operators.”
Sports betting is already legal in the Magnolia State, but it’s only permitted at brick-and-mortar casinos. The industry has yet to expand online, and that is not expected to change for the foreseeable future.
For that reason, Mississippi residents are turning to offshore sportsbooks.