Mississippi

Legalized sports betting went into effect in Mississippi close to a month after PASPA was overturned in 2018. However, while both retail and online sports betting are legal, the specifics actually state that online sports betting wagers can only be placed at a licensed casino.

While there are 28 licensed retail casinos in MS, the state is still working to get online betting fully legalized without this stipulation.

While online sports betting has restrictions (all real-money bets must be placed at a licensed retail casino), what customers can wager on in Mississippi has very few limitations. Bettors can wager on both professional and collegiate sports, including in-state colleges, so the ability to bet on the infamous Egg Bowl is possible. The one college-related market that customers cannot wager on is prop bets.

Daily fantasy sports apps are also available for download in the state, and those do not require customers to be physically located somewhere specific, just inside state lines. Horse race betting is also legal in MS, but all wagers must be placed at the state's casinos as online wagering is prohibited. In addition, greyhound race betting is illegal, and so is wagering on politics or eSports.

Online sports betting in The Magnolia State

Bettors in Mississippi did not have to wait long for sports betting to be legalized after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned PASPA. When it became legal in 2018, after the Mississippi Gaming Commission developed the specific rules and regulations for sports betting, residents were limited to strictly retail betting at the time.

It would not be until 2021 that MS residents would see a mobile sportsbook become available when BetMGM launched in the state. It is important to note that even though BetMGM was now available to gamblers of legal age in the state, they could still only use the app if they were physically located on the property of a licensed in-state casino with which BetMGM was partnered.

This bill limits the state's true profit from sports betting and the number of online operators that can join the market. All four bills brought to the 2022 legislative sessions died in committee that year. As a result, the state signed HB 606 into law in 2023, which called for the creation of a sports betting task force.

The “Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force” has since met with local gaming industry members and released a detailed report listing the potential benefits of online betting expansion.

The casinos remain adamant against the expansion of mobile sports betting, as they would quickly lose business if that legislation is passed. Luckily, they will go another year without legal mobile wagering being a factor, as negotiators could not reach a final proposal for the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act before their set deadline in 2024.

Sports betting & gambling legislation in MS

To place legal sports wagers in Mississippi, customers must be 21. Since MS does not offer remote registration, all of these legal wagers must also be placed on the property of a licensed retail betting facility in the state. The Mississippi Gaming Commission enforces all sports betting rules and regulations.

Regardless of where a customer can and cannot place a legal wager, one thing remains the same: the tax rate on winnings. All gambling winnings in Mississippi are subject to a 3% state tax, which is quite generous compared to the tax rate of other states that offer sports betting or gambling in general.

As far as iGaming goes, which is also illegal in Mississippi, it is hard to imagine lawmakers would be able to pass a bill legalizing online casinos while expanding online sports betting. With that, iGaming will likely remain illegal even if lawmakers can change online sports betting regulations. Despite iGaming and online poker remaining illegal, state residents can legally participate in the lottery.

Most recent updates from the MS sports betting scene

• November 18, 2024: After a week off, the Ole Miss Rebels are back in action this weekend where they will be on the road as (-10) point favorites over Florida.

• November 15, 2024: Heading into a bye week, the Ole Miss Rebels are currently (-400) to make the College Football Playoff.

• November 5, 2024: As they look to keep their CFP hopes alive, the Ole Miss Rebels are set to host the Georgia Bulldogs as (+2.5) point underdogs.

• October 29, 2024: After beating Oklahoma, the Ole Miss Rebels will head on the road to Arkansas, where they are favored by (-7).

• October 21, 2024: Coming off their bye week, the Ole Miss Rebels will host the Oklahoma Sooners as (-20.5) point favorites.

• October 16, 2024: Two casino properties, Biloxi Capital and Tullis Garden, which would be just a few blocks apart from each other, are seeking site approval from the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

• October 8, 2024: In what is one of their biggest games of the season, the Ole Miss Rebels will be on the road this weekend to play LSU. The Rebels are currently (-3.5) point road favorites.

• September 30, 2024: Following their upset loss to Kentucky, the Ole Miss Rebels are (+2500) to win the SEC and (+2000) to win the National Championship.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

With Mississippi’s current sports betting legislation, in-person betting is the name of the game. A legal wager in the state cannot be placed unless a bettor is physically located at one of the 28 brick-and-mortar casinos throughout the state.

Unlike most states with a wide range of casinos, Mississippi has multiple retail locations that have not partnered with an online operator but created their own sportsbooks. Of course, some casinos have opted to partner with brand-name operators. For example, BetMGM is partnered with Beau Rivage Casino and the Golden Strike Casino Resort.

Sports betting in neighboring states

If Mississippi bettors are tired of being on-site at a retail casino to place a legal sports wager, they can visit three neighboring states where online sports betting is legal. Alabama is the only surrounding state of MS that does not offer any form of sports betting.

With different regulations and sportsbook operators present in each surrounding state's market, you can click on their name below to get the full scope of their sports betting legislation.

Sports betting revenue impact on Mississippi's economy

To obtain a sports betting license in Mississippi, operators must pay a licensing fee of $5,000, which is one of the lowest licensing fees in any state offering legalized sports gambling.

All retail operators also must pay a tax rate of 12%, which is relatively average in today’s sports betting market. If online sports betting gets added to the state in the near future, it is unclear whether the tax rate for online operators will be the same as retail.

Gambling, in general, has been a big part of Mississippi for decades. Even with sports betting legalized in a primarily retail format, the state has cleared over $300 million in handle every year since 2019. One can only imagine how much the state could make from remote registration and allowing residents to place bets from anywhere in the state.

For example Kansas, which is the closest state in terms of population to MS, has seen over $1 billion more in handle since launching legal sports betting.

Mississippi sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: October 2021 ($83,527,015)

• Revenue: December 2022 ($11,297,381)

• Tax income: December 2022 ($1,355,686)

Latest MS sports betting revenue report breakdown (September 2024)

Reported by the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

• Total betting handle: $51,767,998

  • Central region: $10,533,553 (15.91% hold)

  • Coastal region: $35,218,458 (12.44%)

  • Northern region: $6,015,987 (16.40%)

• State-wide hold: 13.61%

• Gross revenue: $7,043,852

  • Central region: $1,675,519

  • Coastal region: $4,381,839

  • Northern region: $986,494

• Tax revenue for the state: $845,262

What sports did MS bettors wager the most in Sep 2024?

1. Football ($28m placed bets)

2. Baseball ($5.3m)

3. Basketball ($1.1m)

4. All other sports ($6.2m)

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

MS sports betting revenue in 2024

Mississippi's monthly sports betting handle, revenue, and state tax income data are summed in the table below. Remember, all these numbers come from retail wagering only, so if MS would also allow mobile betting apps to operate in the state, these figures would be much higher.

The percentage in brackets shows how the betting handle and revenue have evolved during 2024 compared to the previous month.

Yearly revenue data