Mississippi's efforts to legalize online sports gambling fell short in 2026

The state of Mississippi will not get a coveted expansion of its gambling framework any time soon. The state has halted efforts to do so in the current legislative session, with the earliest outlook for the legalization of the vertical now deferred to 2027.

Efforts by Rep. Casey Eure and House Sen. David Blount have fallen short, with the Magnolia State’s lawmakers not willing to push the matter forward in the current regulatory session. One of the bills sought to have the 26 casinos in the state team up with up to two sportsbook licenses, whereas the second bill suggested that a single sportsbook partner would be available to licensed businesses. This process is called tethering, and it’s the golden standard for mobile sports betting in theUnited States. It directly addresses concerns that sportsbooks would act independently and undermine land-based revenue, resulting in economic slowdown, job losses, and falling tax revenue. Both HB 1581 and HB 4074 haveenjoyed strong support in the House of Representatives, with a near-unanimous vote for HB 4074, and a slightly more pronounced opposition against HB 1581.

The Senate, however, halted both efforts. One of the gripes against the expansion was that lawmakers in the Upper Chamber argued that expanding into mobile sports gambling would cost the state approximately $50m a year, removing the economic justification behind such a move. These are hardly going to be the only efforts to see the issue pressed through the Senate. While the Upper Chamber remains fixated in its opposition and cites concerns about putting a casino in everyone’s pocket, the fact remains that there is a strong momentum in the House of Representatives, meaning that the next legislative session will see more similar bills passed. An earlier attempt to expand into iGambling, or online casinos, has also been faced with strong opposition, even in the House of Representatives.