Regulators Give Mississippi Sports Betting Green Light for Late July Kickoff

Posted on: June 23, 2018, 10:00h. 

Last updated on: June 22, 2018, 04:05h.

Cort Smith Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

Mississippi will be the next domino to fall in the US sports betting landscape. Regulators in the Magnolia State have approved new rules which will allow casinos to start accepting sports bets there on July 21.

A late summer Mississippi sports betting start is in the cards, now that regulators have rubber-stamped state gaming rules. (Image: AP file)

The Mississippi Gaming Commission voted unanimously to approve the final rules on Thursday morning. It means that the 30-day countdown is now on, putting the state’s 28 casinos in a position to offer sports wagering to the public just in time to work out any kinks before the avid September football season begins.

Many of those providers have already started applying for the necessary licenses. The Choctaws’ Golden Moon, Silver Star, and Bok Homa, along with MGM Resorts’ Beau Rivage in Biloxi and Gold Strike in Tunica Resorts are expected be among the first to open betting windows in the state.

In May, the US Supreme Court struck down a federal law banning sports betting in all but four US grandfathered-in states, clearing the way for individual states to set their own regulations around legal sports wagering.

Land-Based Online Gaming

When it comes to internet gaming, it will have very specific parameters in Mississippi. The new rules will only allow for bets to be made within the physical confines of a brick-and-mortar casino.

So while betting online and through phone apps will be permitted, those bets will need to be made while on casino property and it will have to be inside venue walls: you won’t even be able to place a mobile bet from the casino parking lot. Users will also first have to register a mobile account with the venue.

The state will tax all betting revenues at a rate of 12 percent, and casinos will be required to report anyone who cashes out more than $10,000 in betting wins (a regulation already set in place by FinCEN for both casinos and banks for general gaming wins nationwide).

Next Up to Bat

Delaware was the first to start taking wagers last month, and New Jersey — the state behind the case that SCOTUS reviewed — was quick to follow.

Meanwhile, Rhode Island senators approved new sports betting regulations this week, and Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the new bill into law today.

In West Virginia, the local Lottery Commission gave the green light to new laws around sports betting on Thursday. That state is hoping to start offering bets in time for football season.

Lawmakers in New York State ended their legislative session without making any progress on sports betting regulations, meaning any movement there is still months away, at best.