Mississippi lawmaker submits online betting bill

State Senator Philip Moran (R-District 46) announced on Monday that he had introduced proposed legislation to authorize mobile and online betting in Mississippi.

His proposal would make it possible for Mississippians to securely place bets on their phone or computer with a percentage of operator profits flowing to the state, WJTV reports. Currently, sports betting is legal at the state’s commercial casinos, but not online.

"Every day millions of Americans in 15 states have access to state-of-the-art mobile sportsbooks, allowing them to place bets on their favorite teams and leagues at home while fostering much-needed tax revenue. Unfortunately, Mississippi law does not authorize online sports betting, but this bill seeks to change that” said Moran. "Mississippi has been leaving money on the table by not authorizing online sports wagering, and it is time to modernize Mississippi’s gambling offerings and do what’s best for Mississippians."

During a hearing in the Mississippi Senate Gaming Committee in December, Allen Godfrey, Executive Director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, called Mississippi’s $370 million 2019 sports wagering handle a “far cry” from New Jersey’s $850 million in online and retail sports wagering handle reported for September 2020 alone.