Gaming

SB 2369 allows Mississippi to withhold gaming winnings (from casinos, lotteries, and other licensed venues) from individuals who owe unpaid child support. The law requires the Mississippi Gaming Commission and Department of Human Services to create rules for this process and permits gaming businesses to charge a small administrative fee when withholding these winnings. This directly affects people with outstanding child support debt by using their gambling winnings as a new source to pay that debt. The bill provides a concrete enforcement tool for collecting child support payments through the gaming industry.

SB 2104 expands Mississippi's gambling prohibitions to explicitly include online, interactive, and computerized games, targeting operators of illegal online gambling platforms. It increases violations from misdemeanors to felonies, imposing fines up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison, and authorizes forfeiture of assets used in violations. The bill creates a "safe harbor" (new Section 97-33-6) protecting telecom and technology platforms from liability if they comply with certain requirements. It also explicitly includes internet sweepstakes casinos under the prohibitions and allows prosecutions to be filed in the county of violation or Hinds County. The law directly affects online gambling operators and platforms hosting such activities.

HB 1527 legalizes mobile sports betting and online race book wagering in Mississippi under strict regulations. It requires platforms operating these services to obtain a manufacturer's and distributor's license, implement geofencing to restrict bets to Mississippi residents, and verify users are at least 21 years old. Licensed casinos can partner with only one platform, and all revenue must be reported and taxed per existing state law. The bill explicitly prohibits all other forms of online gambling (like casino-style games) and updates gaming regulations to include these new services.

HB 519 would allow mobile sports betting through apps and websites by defining "digital platforms" (such as websites or mobile apps) that operate sports pools or race books online. The bill revises licensing fees to be based on a platform's total revenue and removes a ban on fantasy contests using college sports performance. It directly affects sports betting operators, the Mississippi Gaming Commission (which would regulate these platforms), and the state (through revised fee structures). The bill died in committee in February 2026 and did not become law.

HB 1262 would have required Mississippi's Gaming Commission to approve any distribution of at least 35% of net bingo game proceeds to charities outside Mississippi. It directly affected charitable organizations in Mississippi that operate bingo games, clarifying that such out-of-state distributions could not occur without Commission approval. The bill amended existing law to add this approval requirement, while keeping the 35% minimum for administrative costs or charitable use. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and was never enacted.