Mississippi’s journey towards legalizing statewide online sports betting faced a legislative twist as the House of Representatives officially rejected the Senate’s amendments to House Bill 774. The move was widely anticipated and sets the stage for further negotiations between the two chambers.
House Bill 774 faced alterations in the Senate that stripped it of its mobile sports betting provisions, and which the House has now declined to concur with. Despite this setback, the rejection by the House opens the door for both sides to convene in a conference committee to reconcile their differences.
The rejection was met with little ceremony, but it was accompanied by an invitation for the Senate to engage in conference discussions on the legislation. Lawmakers have time to find common ground before the legislative session adjourns on May 5.
The prospects of legalizing statewide online sports betting this year remain alive, albeit uncertain, in the Mississippi legislature, where opinions on the matter are divided. While the Senate’s actions may have stalled progress momentarily, lawmakers may explore the issue further in the conference committee.
Mississippi currently boasts legal sports betting at nearly 30 brick-and-mortar casinos, with some offering mobile wagering within their premises. However, the absence of authorized mobile betting outside casino grounds places Mississippi among the 20 states without any legalized forms of mobile wagering.
House Bill 774 sought to change this by enabling online sportsbook operators to collaborate with brick-and-mortar casinos to offer mobile wagering. Before the Senate amendments, the bill also proposed a 12% tax rate for online betting. If mobile wagering is to be legalized this year, these provisions or similar ones will need to be reinstated into the legislation.
While the legislative session ends on May 5, there remains hope for progress as the Senate’s actions have kept the conversation surrounding online sports betting alive. Senator David Blount said that there are still numerous aspects to consider before statewide online sports betting can be legalized.
Industry sources had identified Mississippi sports betting expansion as a probable outcome this year. Last year, legislators established a Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force to address the issue, laying the groundwork for this session’s legislative efforts spearheaded by Representative Casey Eure.
