Efforts to legalize mobile sports betting, ban sweepstakes casinos in Mississippi stall for second consecutive year

A bill that sought to both ban online sweepstakes casinos and legalize mobile sports betting in Mississippi has failed to advance, marking another year without expanded gaming legislation in the state. 

Senate Bill 2510, which passed the state Senate in its original form with unanimous support, died in committee after a six-member conference panel was unable to reach a compromise.

The bill was initially focused solely on prohibiting online sweepstakes casinos but was later amended by Rep. Casey Eure to include language that would authorize mobile sports betting. That amendment sparked opposition from Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount, who had maintained that any such expansion should be initiated by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, not lawmakers.

The Senate ultimately declined to concur with the House amendments, and the subsequent conference committee, comprising members of both chambers, including Eure and Blount, was unable to find common ground. As a result, the bill expired at the conclusion of the session.

This is the second straight year that mobile wagering efforts in Mississippi have collapsed. While sports betting is currently permitted at physical casino locations in the state, mobile wagering remains off-limits. 

Meanwhile, brick-and-mortar sportsbook revenue has been sluggish in 2025. According to state data, revenue from January and February was down nearly 29% year-over-year to $6.4 million, while handle fell by 3.9% to $73.1 million.

Interest may have picked up in March during the NCAA basketball tournaments, where Ole Miss and Mississippi State delivered notable performances. Both Ole Miss men’s and women’s teams reached the regional semifinals, and Mississippi State’s women advanced to the second round.

The failure of SB 2510 also means Mississippi will not enact a ban on online sweepstakes casinos this year. Other U.S. states, however, are making progress on similar measures. New York, Maryland, Connecticut, and Florida all have bills at various stages that target online sweepstakes gaming. New Jersey and Illinois are also actively debating legislative proposals that address the status of sweeps platforms and their regulation or prohibition.