Lawmakers to Look at Mobile Online Sports Betting in Mississippi — Again

Expectations are mellow that online sports betting testament have a come together scrutiny inwards Magnolia State inwards the young year. Experts warn that this gamy has already been played and lost many times in the Magnolia State.

Republican Casey Eure, chairman of the House Gaming Committee, says he plans to reach a Federal Reserve note legalizing roving sports betting during the 2024 session.

Rep. Eure (R-Saucier) made his plans known during the final 2023 encounter of the legislature’s Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force. But plentifulness of unanswered questions remain well-nigh what legalizing this take form of gambling would looking at the likes of inwards Mississippi.

Jay McDaniel, executive director theatre director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, says bills hold been introduced yearly since 2018. Still, none of the proposals make made it out of committee to an real level debate.

Your guessing is as ripe as mine as to whether we’ll have to that,” McDaniel Said. “So, I consider you tin look inward Jan to insure a bill. The call into question testament live whether that visor in reality comes come out of a commission for disputation to follow passed.”

Democratic Senator St. David Blount, who is also a task thrust member, says whatever pattern the bill takes, it should protect the state’s already extremely successful gaming industry.

“My primary interest, as it relates to gaming inward Mississippi, is to protect the jobs of tens of thousands of Mississippians who process inward this important business organization that has a large economical impact,” Blount said. “How testament that follow unnatural past betting on cubicle phones?”

The Mississippi River Legislature’s 2024 fixture session will convene at noonday on Jan 2. The deadline for the entry of superior general bills is Feb 19.

Regulations and Opposition Take Shape

Mississippi was I of the foremost states in the U.S. to authorise sports betting inwards the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s conclusion inwards May of 2018 to legalise gambling. As reported previously by Casino.org, not everyone on the state’s 13-member task force is sold on expanding Mississippi’s gaming industry to include internet sportsbooks.

Some lawmakers are concerned nomadic sports wagering will jeopardize terminus gaming. The Mississippi Gaming Commission reported to a greater extent than $272 meg inward revenue enhancement revenue in FY 2023.

Mississippi casinos also remain at betting odds with lawmakers o'er online sports betting efforts. Land-based casinos are the state’s most vocal opponents of online sports betting.

Pearl River Resort Race and Sportsbook Director Chris Hopwood is just 1 cassino executive director who has urged lawmakers to counterbalance an expansion of sports betting. Hopwood said such a relocation would harm brick-and-mortar casinos, and revenue would leave of absence the state.

Supporters Make Their Case

Twenty-six casinos in the state, some of them operated past Penn Entertainment and Caesars, experience spoken inward favour of online sports betting. They say bettors are leaving for neighboring states such as Arkansas, Tennessee, and Louisiana, where online betting is legal.

Rep. Eure said his goal is to “protect bricks and mortar.”

The Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force findings were due to be delivered to the tell legislature past Dec 15.

Join the thousands of happy players at NTC33 - the most popular and trusted online casino platform in Malaysia! Play now and win big. With its seamless gameplay, generous rewards, and a diverse collection of games, NTC33 offers a top-notch casino experience that keeps players coming back for more.