A bill to legalize online sports betting in Mississippi died in conference committee Monday, signaling the state won’t legalize mobile sports betting apps in 2024. The state’s 2024 legislative session officially ends Sunday.
While Mississippi does allow for legal retail sports betting, online sports gambling apps, which would be tethered to in-state casinos.
A tax rate of 12% was proposed, and wagering on both college and professional sports was expected to be permitted, if the bill succeeded. The bill ed through the House but was amended in the Senate and stalled out in conference committee.
It’s possible sports gambling legislation could garner in future legislative sessions, especially with several of Mississippi’s neighboring states, including sports betting.
Mississippi legislators have shown an increasing willingness to consider all angles of sports betting legislation, even if 2024 efforts fell short of the finish line. A sports betting task force conducted detailed research in recent months to provide legislators data about the potential pros and cons of legalized online sports betting.
Other states also tried and failed to legalize online sports betting in 2024, including North Carolina’s online sports betting market went live in March. The Tar Heel State legalized sports betting in 2023.
