Mississippi has a protracted on line casino historical past with a dozen properties alongside the Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay St. Louis, after which extra throughout the state together with additional north in Jackson and Tunica. The state was one of many first to launch sports activities betting in 2018 after the Supreme overturned a federal legislation just about limiting wagering on sports activities exterior Nevada.
However, the state has but to embrace on-line wagering. At a time when as a lot as 80% or extra of wagers are made on-line in some markets, the problem is now dividing some within the Magnolia State.
The Mississippi Mobile Sports Betting Task Force is now contemplating the way forward for cell and on-line wagering, and consists of lawmakers, authorities appointees, and Jay McDaniel, director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission. The group met final Tuesday to think about all sides of the problem to find out whether or not to hunt laws in 2024.
Cannibalizing Live Casinos?
The assembly included these each side of attainable sports activities betting legalization. Some within the trade, akin to Riverwalk Casino common supervisor Cathy Beeding and Treasure Bay Casino President and COO Susan Barnes, have been involved about attainable misplaced income.
The state’s casinos skilled an uptick after retail wagering legalization in 2018 and on line casino operators are involved a few of these bettors could now simply keep house to guess. Critics have been additionally involved about splitting sports activities income with on-line operators.
Some state officers and on line casino executives argue among the state’s on line casino trade is exclusive, constructed round a whole trip getaway with seashores and different alternatives past the on line casino. They’re involved some of that could be lost.
“My primary concern is how to make sure that we don’t do anything in Mississippi that jeopardizes the destination gaming product that Mississippi gaming has been built on,” State Sen. Mike Thompson® instructed WLOX. “That’s very important to me. At one point in time, we had nearly 80% of our casinos with drive-in traffic. And we know that those patrons don’t necessarily stay on casino properties full-time. They go out in the community. They eat at restaurants. They go fishing and visit towns like Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs, Pass Christian. And so, we know that that destination gaming product is important to the entire coast.”
Missing Out On Revenue
Those in favor of on-line wagering pointed to the potential misplaced income not just for states, however the casinos themselves. In most states, the casinos companion with bigger on-line operators and have an opportunity to take a slice of a much-larger pie.
Some of these additionally addressing the duty drive have been representatives with on-line operators. Many pointed to the cash the state is leaving on the desk.
Jason Tosches, director of public affairs and authorities relations for Penn Entertainment, mentioned cell wagering would attract new prospects who won’t head to a reside on line casino. That provided an opportunity for casinos to reap income from bettors not even visiting their properties.
“We believe any notion that online sports betting would somehow negatively impact land-based casinos, lead to property closures, or damage the state’s existing regulatory framework is simply false,” Tosches mentioned. “New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Indiana and Iowa all had greater slot and table game revenue last year than in 2019, and these are among the first movers that authorized online sports betting between three and five years ago.”
Rep. Casey Eure® mentioned he plans on introducing laws within the subsequent session and needs to debate his plans within the subsequent job drive assembly.