The Mississippi House of Representatives approved, for the third time in a row, a bill authorizing statewide online sports betting. The measure reignites the debate about the legalization of the mobile model in the United States and puts pressure on the state Senate, where similar proposals failed in previous years.
THE House Bill No. 1581 (HB 1581) was approved by 85 votes to 31consolidating yet another victory among supporters of expanding the regulated sports betting market in Mississippi.
Project allocates betting taxes to public pensions
The text predicts that the majority of revenue from taxes on online sports betting is intended for the Mississippi public pension system, currently one of the most deficient in the country.
Furthermore, the project reserves US$6 million per yearstarting in fiscal year 2029–2030, to offset land-based casinos who prove financial losses resulting from the introduction of mobile betting.
According to state deputy Casey Euresponsor of the project, the proposal seeks to attack an old structural problem in the state.
“Last year, we directed resources to roads and bridges. This year, we will apply those resources to Mississippi’s pension system,” Eure said during the House session.
According to the legislative calendar of the 2026 Sessionthe Mississippi Senate has up to March 11 to consider HB 1581.
Transfer of US$600 million to pension fund
In addition to continued revenue via sports betting, the project includes an amendment that provides for the single transfer of US$600 million from the state Capital Expenditure Fund to the public pension system.
Currently, this fund is used to finance specific projects and strategic investments. In November, state authorities estimated that the pension system’s deficit exceeds US$26 billionplacing it among the least solvent in the United States.
How taxation of online sports betting would work
HB 1581 proposes a progressive taxation model, in line with other gaming taxes in Mississippi:
- 4% about the first $50,000 of monthly revenue
- 6% about the $84,000 following
- 8% on the remaining amount of monthly income
Casey Eure estimates that online sports betting in Mississippi can generate at least US$40 million per year in tax collection.
Smaller casinos remain the main opponents
Resistance to the project comes mainly from smaller casinoswho fear losing customer flow with the release of betting via apps.
These operators argue that big brands such as FanDuel and DraftKingswould concentrate the majority of the market — a scenario already observed in other American states. In Missouri, for example, these two platforms accounted for more than 75% of the volume bet in the first month of operation.
To mitigate this impact, the project creates a compensatory fund from until US$6 million per yearavailable for four years, aimed at casinos that:
- Do not offer online sports betting
- Prove a drop in revenue in relation to 2026 results
“This is a safeguard to show good faith to casinos that oppose mobile betting,” Eure said.
Public opinion is still a challenge
Even with incentives, institutional opposition remains strong. THE National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) recently released research indicating that 62.1% of registered voters in Mississippi initially oppose online sports betting.
After receiving additional information on the topic, this percentage increases to 74.2%reinforcing the political challenge for final approval in the Senate.
Senate returns to be the main obstacle
Despite repeated approval in the House, all previous attempts to legalize online sports betting in Mississippi died in the state senate.
Still, defenders believe that directly linking revenue to the public pension system could change the scenario in 2026, making HB 1581 the most robust proposal presented so far.
Fonte: Gaming365 – Brasil
