The second online sports betting bill introduced by Mississippi Rep. Casey Eure in 2026 is progressing quickly in the state’s legislature following full House approval.
House Bill 4074, the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act, was advanced in the state’s House by a 100-11 vote following its approval by the chamber’s Ways and Means Committee this week. In addition to online betting, HB 4074 will also legalize online race books in addition to maintaining the state’s ban on “all forms of interactive gaming”.
HB 4074 adds to recent legislative attempts by Eure to bring online sports wagering to the Magnolia State. Earlier this year, the lawmaker introduced House Bill 1581 in a move to bring the vertical to Mississippi.
However, Eure’s latest legislative attempt, HB 4074, includes different provisions that could help the measure pass both chambers.
Eure is attempting to bring online sports betting to Mississippi to combat the proliferation of offshore wagering and unlicensed gambling operators that are continuing to accept customers across the state.
Mississippi offers retail sports betting, but only at licensed casinos across the state.
HB 4074’s framework for online betting in Mississippi
Eure’s latest online sports betting measure requires operators to partner with one of the state’s 26 land-based casinos. Each casino will be allowed to secure a market access deal with one sportsbook. By comparison, Eure’s previous legislative effort allowed any of the state’s casinos to partner with up to two online sports betting operators.
HB 4074 levies a 22% tax rate on sports betting revenue for prospective online operators. By comparison, retail sports betting operators in Mississippi are taxed at an 18.5% rate.
Eure projects that the 22% tax rate will generate roughly $100m in tax revenue annually, with tax revenues generated from online sports betting to be allocated towards the Mississippi Public Employees’ Retirement System.
The system is required to receive at least $50m per year from sports betting over the next 10 years.
Eure proposes new tax rate for Mississippi casinos
HB 4074 also includes a differing tax provision for casinos compared to Eure’s earlier legislative effort amid pushback from land-based casinos over cannibalization concerns.
The concerns led to the downfall of past legislative efforts to authorize online wagering.
Under HB 4074, the tax rate for land-based casinos is set at 6%, down from 8%. The tax rate decrease is projected to result in roughly $48m in annual savings for casinos.
Eure’s HB 1581 also addressed cannibalization concerns, but in a different manner.
The bill proposed providing $6min funding for retail casinos each year for the first five years of legalized online wagering. The funding is designed to provide brick-and-mortar casinos in the state with compensation if their revenues are impacted by online wagering.
The path to legalize online wagering in Mississippi
HB 4074 will head to the Senate for further consideration, where it faces an uphill battle for approval amid pushback in the chamber against the legalization of online sports betting.
Previous legislative efforts to legalize online wagering have died in the chamber over gambling addiction and cannibalization concerns, most notably bills filed by Eure.
His other active online sports betting measure, HB 1581, was also approved by the House and now sits in the Senate for further consideration, where it has failed to progress.
Sen. David Blount, Chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee, has voiced his opposition to mobile sports betting in Mississippi. Last year, Blount said that he would not consider an online sports betting proposal unless the Mississippi Gaming Commission was involved.
