Mississippi bill to ban sweepstakes dies following sports betting amendment
Lawmakers in the state fail to find an agreement after Rep. Casey Eure looked to capitalise on Senate sweeps momentum with online sports betting proposal
A bill to ban online sweepstakes in Mississippi and legalize online sports betting died in committee on Monday, March 31.
SB 2,510 received unanimous approval from the Senate when the bill was solely dedicated to banning online sweepstakes, however amendments, which included establishing a regulated online sports betting market, appear to have scuppered its progress.
In its original form, SB 2,510 outlined how Mississippi would take a stricter approach to illegal online casino and sweepstakes activity.
Amendments from Representative Casey Eure added that land-based casinos could partner with online sportsbooks or racebooks, with two skins available per retail location.
David Blount, chair of the Senate Gaming Committee, has long held the stance that he would only consider an expansion of the state’s current sports betting offering if it was the request of the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
The bill, which was first introduced by Joey Fillingane, proposed that any operator found offering online sweepstakes could face a punishment of a $100,000 fine, a prison sentence of up to 10 years, and a forfeiture of assets.
Having returned to its original chamber after the Senate declined to concur and invited conference, Senators and members of the House formed a bicameral conference committee that failed to find a compromise and ended the bill’s progression this legislative session.
This represents the second successive legislative session that Mississippi lawmakers have considered and rejected the idea of online sports betting.
Previously, concerns from retail betting locations and some industry stakeholders over the prospect of cannibalization have stalled progress.
SB 2,510 is also not the first bill to have its language amended by Eure to include reference to sports betting legalization, with the Republican also adding his proposal to a piece of legislation linked to mainly coastal tidelands.
That development prompted Blount to express his disapproval of such tactics to local media.
Elsewhere in the US, a bill to ban sweepstakes is still progressing in New York. Senator Joseph Addabbo’s SB 5,935 is awaiting a third reading in the Senate after passing through the upper chamber of the state’s Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee in March.
In Maryland, efforts to ban sweepstakes are even more advanced, after SB 860 was given unanimous backing from the Senate before being referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.