An online sports betting bill in the Mississippi House appears to be on a fast track to reach the Senate.
Rep. Casey Eure introduced his online Mississippi sports betting bill, House Bill 774, Monday and advanced it out of the House Gaming Committee Tuesday. Eure, the chair of the Gaming Committee, announced his intent to file a statewide online sports betting bill during the Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force meetings last fall.
Eure said the bill could receive a House vote as early as Wednesday, according to the Biloxi Sun Herald. In-person sports betting in the Magnolia State began in 2018, along with only geofenced online sportsbooks allowed on casino property.
New online Mississippi sports betting bill details
Eure said during the fall task force meetings that he would use the information to inform his bill.
Each of the 26 casinos in Mississippi could launch an online sports betting platform. Despite some suggestions in the fall that in-person registration should be required, Eure’s proposal allows for mobile signups.
The state would tax sports betting revenue at a tiered tax structure, with any revenue over $134,000 taxed at the maximum 8%. There would also be a 4% local municipality tax where the licensed casino is located.
Protecting brick-and-mortar casinos
During the task force meetings, multiple independent casino operators expressed concerns about the online industry. They worry large casino operators and major online sportsbooks will dominate the market and cannibalize the gambling revenue in the state.
Multiple lawmakers expressed similar worries.
“My number one goal is to protect our bricks and mortar casinos in Mississippi,” Eure said, according to the Biloxi Sun Herald.
Other bills in Mississippi
Last week, two other online sports betting bills were filed in the Mississippi House. The Gaming Committee did not take action on the bills Tuesday.
Those bills also allow the state’s casinos to offer online sports betting platforms and carry a similar tiered tax structure.
Last year, lawmakers created the Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force when they amended Eure’s online sports betting legislation.
Online sports betting surounding Mississippi
Despite being among the first states to launch sports betting, mobile sports betting is slowly circling the Magnolia State.
Three states around it have online sports betting:
Next door in Alabama, however, there is no gaming. Proponents will again attempt to change that this year, including a push for sports betting.
