A Senate proposal that seeks to block mobile betting and sweepstakes was referred to the House Gaming Committee this week after a House bill calling for the legalization of online betting passed last week
Mississippi was among the first states to introduce legal sports betting after PASPA’s repeal by the US Supreme Court back in 2018. While the state launched retail sports betting, efforts toward the legalization of mobile betting continue.
Earlier this month, the House moved forward with a mobile sports betting bill, which passed after an 89-11 vote. The proposal marked another effort toward legal mobile betting, continuing the push by lawmakers who support the expansion of gambling in the state.
SB 2510 Referred to the House Gaming Committee
However, while House Bill 1302 (HB 1302) passed the House and was transmitted to the Senate, a proposal in the Senate is seeking to block its progress. That’s the case for Senate Bill 2510 (SB 2510), a proposal that seeks to reaffirm the illegality of mobile betting and sweepstakes while at the same time increasing penalties for potential violations.
Besides prohibiting “betting gaming or wagering and any online interactive or computerized version of any game,” SB 2510 seeks to authorize the forfeiture of assets connected to such cases. The aforementioned proposal is authored by Sen. Joey Fillingane. SB 2510 passed the Senate not even two weeks after the House passed HB 1302. Most recently, after it was transmitted to the House last week, SB 2510 was referred to the House Gaming Committee earlier this week.
If approved, SB 2510 proposes the new rules to come into effect on July 1, 2025. Still, the future of the two proposals is left in the hands of lawmakers from the Senate and House. Undoubtedly, it is interesting to see two proposals contradicting each other to gain traction in the House and the Senate.
Pros and Cons of Mobile Betting
The latest development is not entirely unexpected, considering the pros and cons of mobile sports betting. According to gambling expansion opponents, online or mobile betting can push many people into spending more than they can afford. This can ultimately result in at-risk or problem gambling. At the same time, many fear how mobile betting will affect the land-based gambling sector and whether or not retail sportsbooks and casinos would record decreases in revenue.
In contrast, supporters of the expansion of mobile wagering argue that bettors who want to participate in such activities can do so in a nearby state such as Louisiana, Arkansas or Tennessee. In this case, money which otherwise would benefit Mississippi are flowing into the state coffers of its neighbors.
To make matters worse, some Mississippi residents may even consider using illegal bookies, which pose a risk to their funds and personal information.
