Several Mississippi Online Sports Betting Bills Introduced, But Does it Really Matter?

• At least three pieces of Mississippi online sports betting legislation have been introduced so far this year
• Online sports betting is currently legal in the state, but only on casino property
• Major roadblocks still remain in the state that may hold up any potential legislation

Mississippi lawmakers will yet again have a bevy of online sports betting bills to consider in the 2026 legislative session, but do any of them actually stand a chance?

At least three bill have been introduced in the Magnolia State to expand online sports betting off casino land. Mississippi online sports betting is currently legal, but can only take place on licensed casino property.

However, previous efforts to expand online sports betting have largely been held up by the brick-and-mortar casino industry and the chair of the Mississippi Senate Committee on Gaming.

Expanded Mississippi Online Sports Betting

So far, three individual bills have been introduced by Mississippi lawmakers this month to legalize statewide online sports betting.

Sen. Juan Barnett (D-34) recently introduced SB 2249, the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act, to allow each of the state’s 26 commercial dockside and land-based casinos to partner with up to two online sports betting platforms. The bill currently sits in the Senate Committee on Gaming.

It would also allow horse tracks to offer online sports betting through partnerships with up to two platforms.

The bill seeks to legalize through a constitutional amendment, which will have to be approved by a three-fifths vote in both the House and Senate. Under the legislation, online sports betting would be taxed at a rate of 12% and funding proceeds will be allocated to a newly created Mississippi HOPE Scholarship Program.

If approved, expanded Mississippi online sports betting would have to launch no later than Jan 9, 2027.

Additionally, Rep. Cedric Burnett’s (D-9) HB 297 and Rep. Jay McKnight’s (R-95) HB 519 both seek to amend the definition of “sports pool” in Mississippi to include “digital platforms” as a person or entity that operators sports pool or race book over the internet, which could open the door for expanded online sports betting.

But will any of the introduced bills actually reach the finish line in 2026?

Major Hurdles Still Remain

In 2025, efforts to expand Mississippi online sports betting started off strong and died a quiet death when the state’s legislative session came to an end in April.

Rep. Casey Eure’s (R-116) bill, HB 1302, which aimed to expand online sports betting throughout the state, passed through the Mississippi House of Representatives in February, but never received a Senate Gaming Committee hearing and died in March.

Efforts to legalize have largely been blocked by Sen. David Blount (D-29), chair of the Senate Committee on Gaming, 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.

Blount remains in office until 2028, so legalization odds are incredibly slim.