Online sports betting supporters in the Mississippi House will attempt to pass legislation for the third straight year, despite persistent opposition from the Senate in prior efforts. The new proposal features a tweak to support the underfunded Public Employees’ Retirement System.
Mississippi House Gaming Committee Chair Casey Eure is preparing a third online sports betting bill, though Senate Gaming Committee Chair David Blount has blocked previous efforts and remains opposed.
Eure has been the primary legislative sponsor pushing Mississippi toward mobile sports wagering. His last proposal cleared the House in 2025 by an 88-10 vote, but it was not taken up in the Senate.
Political hurdles persist in Mississippi
Industry stakeholders have described Mississippi as one of the hardest remaining states for online sports betting legislation. Remaining states without this gaming vertical face a number of political hurdles, often including opposition from tribes and commercial casinos.
In Mississippi, a major factor has been continued opposition from Blount, who chairs the Senate Gaming Committee.
Blount has said the revenue potential from online sports betting is not enough to justify legalization. He has previously said he would not file a bill unless the Mississippi Gaming Commission asked for one. Blount has also voiced concerns about how online legalization could affect brick-and-mortar casinos.
Mississippi was one of the first states to legalize sports betting in 2018, though the law limited it to in-person sportsbooks at casinos.
Industry sources also say independent Mississippi casinos carry influence with lawmakers and are concerned about larger out-of-state operators gaining access to the online market.
Bill structure ties mobile wagering to casino partnerships
Eure is expected to base the new bill on the framework approved by the House last year, allowing each Mississippi casino to partner with up to two online platforms.
In 2025, Eure also added a mitigation provision tied to sports betting tax revenue intended to help address potential losses to casinos. That provision is expected to be included again this year, along with a ban on credit card funding of sportsbook accounts.
Eure told Mississippi Today that he also plans to direct all online sports betting revenue to the government pension system. Rep. Kevin Felsher previously floated a similar idea.
The Public Employees’ Retirement System is 55% funded, with unfunded liabilities of approximately $26 billion.
Eure has said online legalization would also address illegal wagering while adding consumer protections.
“By legalizing mobile sports betting, we can eliminate much of the illegal market — including protecting underage bettors — and provide real consumer safeguards in a regulated environment,” Eure said. “This legislation will also give our brick-and-mortar casinos a new revenue stream to ensure their continued success, while the state revenue generated will help close the gap in funding for our Public Employees’ Retirement System.”
Sweepstakes bill workaround failed in conference
The Senate did not take up Eure’s bill last year. In response, the House amended a Senate measure aimed at prohibiting sweepstakes casinos by adding online sports betting language. That bill died in conference committee.
Eure’s new filing is expected to renew the House-Senate dispute over whether Mississippi should move beyond in-person sportsbook wagering into mobile betting.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/01/23/117261-mississippi-house-renews-online-sports-betting-push-despite-senate-roadblock
