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Lawmakers in Mississippi are once again testing whether online sports betting can clear the Senate. After years of debate and repeated resistance, House leaders are reshaping the proposal with new financial incentives and sharper revenue arguments.
Good to Know
For the third straight year, the Mississippi House has approved legislation that would allow sports betting to operate online statewide. On Wednesday, representatives passed HB 1581 by an 84 to 31 vote, sending the bill back to the Senate for consideration.
A similar proposal reached the Senate last year but stalled amid concerns about casino revenue losses and gambling addiction. Supporters argue the updated version addresses those objections more directly than before.
Before final passage, House lawmakers amended HB 1581 to include a $600 million transfer from the state general fund to help shore up the underfunded pension system. Sponsors believe the move strengthens the overall package by pairing sports betting taxes with immediate fiscal support.
The pension funding is designed to complement future tax revenue from online sports wagering, a strategy aimed at persuading skeptical senators that the bill offers broader benefits beyond gambling expansion.
Despite changes to the bill, opposition in the Senate remains firm. Senator David Blount, chairman of the Senate Gaming Commission, has continued to resist online sports betting proposals.
Blount has argued that potential online betting revenue does not justify legalization. He has also said he would only consider such legislation if requested by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, a request that has not been made.
So far in the current session, no mobile sports betting proposal has advanced through his committee.
Supporters in the House continue to highlight how Mississippi residents already place bets online in neighboring states. Sponsor Casey Eure told lawmakers that residents have attempted roughly 10 million online wagers since September 2025, many placed just across state lines.
Eure estimated Mississippi could be missing as much as $80 million per year in tax revenue as a result.
He said:
“These are Mississippi residents crossing into other states, and the outcome of that is that Mississippi receives zero tax revenue, there’s zero oversight, zero consumer protection against these people placing bets, and problem gambling goes undetected and unmanaged,” Eure said.
Under HB 1581, existing brick and mortar casinos would be allowed to partner with up to two online sportsbook platforms each. The structure aims to keep online betting tied directly to licensed casino operators rather than opening the market to outside brands alone.
To address concerns from smaller regional casinos, Eure proposed creating a $6 million mitigation fund. The fund would support casinos that may lose revenue due to online betting and would be replenished annually using sports betting tax proceeds through 2030.
Mississippi legalized sports betting in 2018 but limited wagering to in person bets at casinos. In 2023, lawmakers created the Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force to study possible expansion.
After last year online betting bill failed, House members attempted a different strategy by adding online wagering language to a sweepstakes casino prohibition bill. That effort collapsed in conference committee. A new sweepstakes casino prohibition bill is now advancing separately during the current session.