Published on: March 26, 2026, at 09:59h.
Updated on: March 26, 2026, at 09:59h.
- Legislative efforts to broaden sports betting in Mississippi have once again faltered this year.
- Current sports betting in Mississippi is limited to physical wagering at tribal and commercial casinos.
- The Mississippi sports betting landscape continues to be modest due to its retail-only framework.
Mississippi sports betting remains restricted to the state’s 25 commercial casinos and three tribal gaming establishments.
For yet another legislative cycle, Mississippi lawmakers reviewed proposals to extend sports betting capabilities to online platforms.
State Representative Casey Eure (R-Harrison), an avid advocate for online sports betting, endorsed House Bill 4074. This initiative successfully passed the House of Representatives in late February with a decisive 100-11 vote.
To address the concerns of smaller local casinos fearing diminished foot traffic due to online betting, Eure’s proposed legislation intended to reduce the casino gaming revenue tax from 8% to 6%. However, once the bill progressed to the Senate, it was dismissed by the Mississippi State Senate Gaming Committee.
Another proposal advocating for online sports betting, House Bill 1581—sponsored by Eure—also garnered support in the House, achieving an 85-31 vote. Unfortunately, it met the same fate in the Senate Gaming Committee.
All 25 casinos in Mississippi currently provide sports wagering, along with the three Pearl River tribal casinos.
Questioning State Benefits
Senate lawmakers within the Gaming Committee thwarted Eure’s online sports betting proposals because they perceived no tangible advantage for the state in pursuing expanded gaming options.
The latest House bill proposed a 25% tax reduction for casinos, which would result in a $50 million annual loss for the state. According to state Senator David Blount (D-Jackson), “there was no significant financial upside for the state from broadening mobile gambling,” as quoted by the Clarion-Ledger.
In addition to lowering the gaming tax for casinos, Eure suggested a substantial cut in the in-person tax on sports betting revenue from 18.5% to 3.5%. He argued that the state would still benefit from his proposed 22% tax on sportsbook’s gross revenue, generating an estimated $100 million annually for Jackson.
Nonetheless, sports betting in Mississippi will remain limited to physical sportsbooks for at least another year, as the Mississippi Legislature’s 2026 session will run until April 5, and bills needed to advance to the other chamber by February.
Mississippi is a state passionate about sports, from Ole Miss football to Mississippi State baseball. Although there are no professional teams in the state, many residents are enthusiastic supporters of the nearby New Orleans Saints located in Louisiana.
Limited Sports Betting Landscape
As Mississippi sports betting remains restricted to casinos, the state’s sportsbook market is just a small segment compared to states that allow online betting.
For example, in February, Mississippi’s sportsbook revenue reached merely $3.45 million from $21 million in bets. In contrast, Kansas, a state of similar size permitting online sportsbooks, reported $14.2 million in sports gambling revenue on a $190 million handle.