Mississippi Lawmakers Renew Push for Mobile Sports Betting

The Mississippi House has prepared for a third consecutive attempt to legalize mobile sports betting. House leaders are organizing new provisions designed to address long-standing opposition in the Senate.

The latest proposal would direct all state tax revenue generated from online Mississippi sports betting to the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), which carries unfunded liabilities of roughly $26 billion. House Gaming Committee Chairman Casey Eure said the change represents a significant departure from prior bills and was intended to appeal to senators concerned about pension funding.

Mississippi sports betting and access to some of the best sportsbooks remain limited to in-person wagering at licensed casinos, despite persistent efforts to expand access statewide. Eure said illegal wagering activity and the loss of potential tax revenue continued to motivate the House to pursue legalization.

Supporters argue that regulated access to the best sports betting apps in Mississippi could generate tens of millions of dollars annually. At the same time, opposition in the Senate remains firm. Senate Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount said directing online betting revenue to PERS would not materially address the system's shortfall.

He cited conflicting revenue estimates, ranging from about $30 million to $80 million per year, and argued that even the higher figure would have little impact on long-term pension liabilities. The Senate has instead proposed using surplus funds and recurring appropriations to stabilize PERS.

Sen. Blount also raised concerns about the growth of prediction markets, which he said effectively allowed nationwide mobile wagering without state taxation or regulation. Eure said previous versions of the bill included measures to protect smaller casinos and restrict credit card betting. 

He maintains that legalization would still provide economic benefits for the state.

Wisconsin debate unfolds

As Mississippi lawmakers revisited mobile wagering, legislators overseeing the Wisconsin sports betting market faced similar questions about regulation and revenue. An Assembly vote was expected early in the year on a bill to allow online sports wagering through tribal operators, though the timing of Senate consideration remained uncertain.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Majority Leader Tyler August said they anticipated reviving a proposal that stalled late last year.

The bill would amend Wisconsin's definition of a bet to permit tribes to offer mobile wagering if bettors were located within the state and sportsbook servers were housed on tribal land. The change would require updates to existing compacts, followed by approval from the Senate, Gov. Tony Evers, and federal authorities.

Since the delay, prediction market apps expanded in Wisconsin, with platforms such as DraftKings Predict and Fanatics Markets entering the state. Kalshi already operated sports-related contracts and faced litigation from the Ho-Chunk Nation. August described prediction markets as a legal gray area not subject to state taxes, a factor also complicating the legislative debate.

However, opposition persisted in the Senate. Sen. Chris Kapenga said he would vote against expanding wagering beyond in-person tribal casinos, citing constituent concerns and comparing the arguments to past legalization debates.