Mississippi lawmakers have once again pushed forward a bill to expand sports betting, as the state House passed HB 1581 last week. The move keeps the debate around mobile sports betting alive, but history suggests the road ahead remains difficult, especially in the Senate. At the same time, legislators are tightening the screws on unregulated online gambling by advancing a separate bill to ban sweepstakes casinos.
House passes HB 1581, mobile betting debate returns
HB 1581 cleared the Mississippi House, marking a rare moment when a mobile sports betting proposal has passed at least one chamber. The bill aims to expand wagering beyond casino floors, a step many bettors in the state have been waiting for since sports betting was legalized.
Mississippi was one of the early adopters after the fall of PASPA in 2018. However, nearly seven years later, betting is still largely tied to physical casino locations. Bettors can use mobile apps, but only if they are inside or near a licensed casino property.
A familiar challenge awaits in the Senate
Despite House approval, HB 1581 now faces a familiar and uncertain path. Similar mobile sports betting bills have repeatedly stalled in the Senate or failed during conference committee negotiations.
Just last year, a proposal that combined online sports betting legalization with a sweepstakes casino ban collapsed before becoming law. That history makes many industry watchers cautious, even as momentum builds again in the House.
Where Mississippi sports betting stands today
Sports betting has been legal in Mississippi since August 2018. However, the state chose a casino-centric model. This means statewide online or mobile betting from home remains off-limits.
For bettors, this restriction has been a major drawback compared to neighboring and competing markets that allow full mobile access. Supporters of HB 1581 argue that expanding mobile betting could keep players within the regulated system and boost state revenue.
Lawmakers move to ban sweepstakes casinos
While debating limited mobile sports betting, Mississippi lawmakers are also cracking down on unregulated online gambling platforms.
SB 2104, which passed the Senate last week, seeks to expand the state’s criminal gambling laws. The bill would explicitly ban “online, interactive, or computerized” gambling games, including internet sweepstakes-style casinos, online sports pools, and race books.
Tough penalties proposed for illegal operators
SB 2104 takes a hard-line approach. It would upgrade violations from misdemeanors to felonies. Operators and facilitators of illegal platforms could face fines of up to $100,000 per violation and prison terms of up to 10 years.
The bill also allows authorities to seize assets connected to illegal gambling activity, sending a strong message to offshore and unregulated platforms targeting Mississippi players.
What this means for bettors
For now, Mississippi bettors remain in a wait-and-watch mode. The House passing HB 1581 keeps hope alive for broader mobile sports betting, but the Senate remains the biggest hurdle.
At the same time, the push to ban sweepstakes casinos signals that lawmakers want betting activity to stay within a tightly regulated framework. Whether Mississippi finally joins the list of states with full mobile sports betting will likely be decided in the weeks ahead.
