Mississippi Sports Betting

Not only did the state of Mississippi give us larger-than-life figures like Elvis Presley, James Earl Jones, and Sam Cooke, it was also one of the first states outside of Nevada to legalize US sports betting in 2018.

In 1990 the Mississippi government made the decision to legalize casino gambling on the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast, signaling the early beginnings of the state’s gambling industry. The state has had a colorful history with gambling- not only is it the home of poker, it has also had to contend with pressure groups and a prohibition on gambling in the 1950s. The state has come a long way since then and the market has opened up, providing a wealth of gambling options to both residents and visitors alike.

Is sports betting legal in Mississippi?

Yes. Mississippi was the fourth US state to legalize sports betting after the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The state had actually passed sports betting legislation in 2017, prior to the supreme court’s ruling on PASPA so that, should the Supreme Court overturn the federal ban on sports betting, the state would be well-positioned to begin offering it to residents and visitors.

The first in-state sports wagers were placed at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica on 1 August 2018. Both of these establishments are owned by MGM Resorts and held simultaneous sports betting launch events.

It is also worth mentioning that the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians launched the first-ever sportsbook in a tribal gaming establishment outside of Nevada. On 30 August 2018, the tribal-owned Pearl River Resort and Casino in Choctaw Mississippi launched its sportsbook. The tribe also has plans to implement on-site mobile sports betting at the casino.

What sports can I bet on?

In Mississippi, you can place bets on all major sports including Auto racing, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Football, Golf, Hockey, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Rugby, Soccer, and Tennis.

Can I bet online in Mississippi?

Mississippi law currently states that gambling can only take place inside a physical and licensed casino. Electronic sports betting, that is betting with a mobile device when you’re on the casino’s property, is permitted in some of these establishments on terminals located in them. In fact, on 23 January 2019, Pearl River Resort revealed that there were plans to launch a mobile sports betting app for the resort. This was the first Mississippi sports betting venue to publicly discuss launching a sports betting app. However, due to state regulations, bettors will have to be on the Pearl River Resort premises if they wish to use the app once it goes live.

On January 25 2019, state Senator Willie Simmons introduced a piece of legislation that would expand the scope of the state’s gambling laws to permit mobile and online sports betting from anywhere within state lines. The bill is set to be discussed during Mississippi’s 2019 legislative session. If the bill is successful, it is likely that many of the state’s sports betting operators will move to launch sports betting apps.

Where can I place bets on sporting events in Mississippi?

While you can’t place bets online or on mobile devices, there certainly isn’t a shortage of sportsbooks in Mississippi – out of the state’s 29 casinos, 27 of them have on-site sportsbooks.
Just like gambling, Mississippi sports betting is restricted to land and water-based establishments.

Although there are casinos with operational sportsbooks spread out across the state, the most popular destinations in the state for sports betting, and gambling, in general, are Biloxi and Tunica.

Biloxi is a city situated on the Gulf of Mexico and is widely known for its gambling industry which has flourished over the years, thanks to riverboat gaming. Now there are some land-based establishments that offer almost every gambling activity including; slots, craps, Texas Hold’em, Baccarat and, most recently, sports betting.

Tunica, on the other hand, was once one of the most poverty-stricken towns in the entire US but that changed in the 1990s when casinos began to set up shop in the area. Tunica is now one of the most popular destinations in the state of Mississippi as the thriving gambling industry drives tourism into the area.

Vicksburg is another popular destination for gambling in Mississippi sports betting and other games, with a choice of four major casinos, each offering a wide range of table games. Just like Biloxi, each Vicksburg casino offers a variety of gaming options and all of them feature operational sportsbooks for residents to bet on major sporting events such as NFL and NBA games.

Tribal gambling establishments in Mississippi

There are two tribal-owned gaming establishments in Mississippi, both located at the Pearl River Resort. These two establishments are the Silver Star Hotel and Casino and the Golden Moon Hotel and Casino. The Golden Moon is home to the Pearl River Resort sportsbook, The Timeout Lounge. Both properties are owned and operated by the Mississippi band of Choctaw Indians.

Although there are only two tribal casinos in Mississippi, the tribal community has had a long and colorful history with gambling. Before other people from other cultures arrived in the state, the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and other Indian tribes gambled amongst themselves and even bet on their own sports games. According to the Mississippi Historical Society, the most popular sport amongst the tribal communities was stickball or, as they referred to it, ishtaboli. Ishtaboli was a sport that involved two team using sticks to toss a ball against the opposing team’s goal post in order to score points, it is said to have resembled lacrosse.

Mississippi sports betting revenue

Mississippi legalized and launched sports betting in 2018, becoming one of the first states to adopt the activity following the fall of PASPA. Sports betting in Mississippi is currently restricted to land-based casinos and via mobile apps, however, these can only be used on a casino’s premises.

*In April 2020 casinos were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Complete state reports can be accessed via the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

Last updated on 14th January 2022

What else can I bet on in Mississippi?

Mississippi offers a wide range of gambling options for both residents and visitors. Not only is there regulated sports betting in the state, but there is also a wide range of casino games available to residents and visitors alike.

Casinos in the state offer players the chance to gamble across multiple games including:

• Slots
• Blackjack
• Baccarat
• Roulette
• Poker (Texas hold’em, pai gow, Caribbean stud, 3 card, 4 card)
• Big six wheel
• Bingo
• Off-track betting
• Money Wheel
• Casino war
• Wheel of fortune
• Keno
• Sic bo

A number of the casinos in the state also offer social casino games, with nine of the Mississippi establishments operating their own social casino platform. There’s also a variety of social casino platforms available to Mississippi residents from leading brands like Slotomania, Double Down and Zynga. The MyVegas platform on the MGM Resorts website also operates in Mississippi. Two of Mississippi’s casinos; Beau Rivage and Gold Strike are partnered with MyVegas which means that Mississippi resident can redeem loyalty points at either of those casinos.

Unlike most other US states, Mississippi does not currently have a state lottery. However, this could change, given that, on 28 August 2018, the Mississippi House passed a bill to create a state lottery. As it stands a number of residents in the state play the lottery in neighboring states.

Are offshore gambling sites legal in Mississippi?

No. While Mississippi is one of the few southern US states to allow gambling within its borders, this is restricted to land and water-based casinos. The same applies to other forms of online gambling such as online slots and casinos. Although offshore sites may offer gambling services to Mississippi residents, state law states that even if a site is legal elsewhere that doesn’t make it legal in Mississippi.

Is it safe to bet on sports in Mississippi?

The 27 casinos in Mississippi that offer sports betting are fully licensed and regulated, which guarantees you a safe and fair betting experience. However, to make sure gambling remains fun, it’s important to gamble responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose.
If you have any concerns that you, or a loved one, may be suffering from problem gambling The Mississippi Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling, has a number of resources available to help you. For more information on problem gambling, check out our problem gambling guide.

Get in touch with The Mississippi Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling:

Main phone number: 1-888-777-9696
Text: msgambler to 53342

Who regulates sports gambling in Mississippi?

Sports betting in Mississippi is regulated and overseen by the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC). The MGC is also responsible for regulating other areas in the Mississippi gambling industry, including the approval of gambling licenses and maintaining public confidence in the state’s gambling industry.

You can contact the Mississippi Gaming Commission via phone: (601) 576-3800

How old do I have to be to gamble in Mississippi?

You must be 21 years old to partake in any gambling activity in the state of Mississippi

The journey to legal and regulated sports betting in Mississippi

As mentioned above, before settlers from other countries arrived in the state of Mississippi the native American communities engaged in gambling amongst themselves.

1795 – The Fleetfield Race Track was established in Natchez while Mississippi was occupied by the Spanish. Due to Mississippi being located near the Gulf of Mexico and the fact that the Mississippi river ran through the state it allowed gambling to thrive in the state. This is because more people would be passing through the area and they would gamble while passing through the state conducting trade.

1817 – On 10 December 1817 Mississippi became recognized as a state and legal gambling continued to thrive. The area along the Gulf coast was commonly referred to as The Strip and attracted many acts and performers including Elvis helping drive tourism in the state.

1950 – A group of Ministers who referred to themselves as the Biloxi Protestant Ministerial Association began campaigning against the evils of gambling and the negative effects it has on families and individuals. The group, from the Gulf Coast area of Biloxi, ran a campaign which argued that, under the Mississippi Law Code 1942, operating gambling machines was illegal.

At the same time the US Senate’s Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce began investigating casinos across the US as sources of organized crime. The group of ministers in Mississippi would use this investigation as a method to discredit the gambling industry.

This eventually led to a prohibition on gambling and the confiscation of slot machines across the state. Some establishments continued to operate anyway.

1969 – Hurricane Camille caused widespread damage across the state, decimating its economy.

1990 – Still reeling from the effects of the hurricane, the state government decided to pass the Mississippi Gaming Control Act which allowed casinos to operate along towns along the coast.

1992 – The first riverboat casino opened its doors in Mississippi. The gambling industry would then continue to grow and thrive, bringing new life to the state’s economy.

At this time the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) came into law.

2005 – Hurricane Katrina hit Mississippi and decimated the town of Biloxi and the coastal towns with nearly every casino along the coast being destroyed.

Owners of the casinos sought to rebuild their establishments. The government made changes to the law which would allow them to move onshore, they had to be within 800 feet of the water, in the hopes of avoiding another hurricane-related disaster. After rebuilding the casino market from the ground up Mississippi held the third-largest casino market across the US.

2014 – The Internet Gaming Taskforce was created by the House Gaming Committee in order to explore the possibilities of allowing online gambling. The taskforce was also tasked with exploring sports betting opportunities after. The taskforce filed a report on both topics later that year.

2017 – Mississippi legalized daily fantasy sports sites like FanDuel and DraftKings in the state. A legal framework was laid out in the Fantasy Contest Act. However, this law made changes to the Gaming Control Act and removed a line that stated “No wagering shall be allowed on the outcome of any athletic event, nor on any matter to be determined during an athletic event, which does not take place on the premises.”

2018 – Moments after the Supreme Court overturned PASPA, the Mississippi Gaming Commission released draft copies of its sports betting regulation. The regulations went into effect after a 30-day review period.

On 1 August 2018, the first Mississippi sports wagers were placed at the MGM Resorts-owned Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica.

2019 –  On January 23, representatives from the Pearl River Resort revealed that they are working on a mobile sports betting app for use at the tribal resort. This was the first casino operator in the state to consider launching mobile sports betting operations.

On January 25, Mississippi state senator, Willie Simmons, introduced the Gaming Control Act. This act would expand on the state’s existing gambling laws and legalize mobile sports in Mississippi.

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