Mississippi Online Sports Betting Hope Dies Quiet Death

• A conference committee could not come to a consensus on Mississippi online sports betting
• A bill that also included a prohibition on sweepstakes games is dead in the state
• Online sports betting’s chances are dead yet again in the Magnolia State

Mississippi online sports betting ended up in exactly the same spot this legislative session as it did in 2024.

Dead and buried in a conference committee.

A conference committee of Mississippi legislators could not come to a consensus on a Senate-approved bill to prohibit sweepstakes gaming that included tacked-on online sports betting language.

No Agreement in Conference Committee

Last week, the Mississippi Senate did not concur with the House of Representative changes to SB 2510, a bill originally crafted to prohibit sweepstakes gaming in the state. House of Representative members added online sports betting legalization language to SB 2510, which was unsurprisingly denied by the Senate.

Online sports betting is currently only legal on casino property in the state. Language in the bill would have seen it expand off casino property and be available statewide.

The bill headed to a conference committee to see if any consensus existed between the House and Senate to keep the bill moving forward. Mississippi Senators Joey Fillingane (R-41), Mike Thompson (R-48), and David Blount (D-29) served on the conference committee. 

The chances for agreement were always slim to none, especially with Blount serving on the conference committee. Blount, who is the chair of the Senate Gaming Committee, has been a vocal opponent of legalized Mississippi online sports betting. He never called the House approved online sports betting bill to his committee this session, effectively blocking the legislation.

Fear of online sports betting cannibalization, and its effect on revenues for brick-and-mortar casinos in the state, led to stalled discussions in the Senate.

The bill was listed as dead on March 31. It’s the same fate online sports betting experienced last legislative session as well, dying in a conference committee.

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What’s Next for Mississippi Online Sports Betting, Sweepstakes Ban?

Mississippi lawmakers will likely discuss online sports betting legalization in 2026 as well, but with fears of cannibalization from the state’s casino industry it is difficult to imagine a bill being moved across the finish line.

Blount’s term runs until Jan. 4, 2028, and his stance against online sports betting will unlikely change. He’s sided with state casinos during all discussions on the expansion

As for the sweepstakes ban? It seemed to be a casualty of the lawmakers’ dislike for online sports betting expansion, but the state can still take measures to prohibit the game. The Mississippi Gaming Commission can send cease-and-desist notices to sweepstakes operators, a strategy that has had inconsistent success in other states.