Majority of Mississippi voters oppose igaming and sports betting legalisation, survey finds
A poll commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) found 74.2 per cent of voters oppose the legalisation of mobile sports betting and igaming in the state.
US.- A survey commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) has suggested that a majority of voters in Mississippi oppose the legalisation of igaming and mobile sports betting.
The survey, conducted by the Bradley Research Group, found 74.2 per cent of Mississippi voters and casino operators in Mississippi to be opposed to the legalisation of mobile sports betting. The numbers against reportedly increased once voters understood the proposal: opposition to igaming rose from 74.1 per cent to 80.8 per cent once voters understood that it would allow 24/7 remote access to casino-style games.
There are currently three bills (HB1527, HB297 and SB2249) which aim to legalise online sports betting in the state, being discussed in both the state House and the Senate.
On January 21, a coalition of casino operators in the state, including Churchill Downs Inc. (Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa, River Walk Casino Hotel); Foundation Gaming & Entertainment (Fitz Casino Hotel, WaterView Casino Hotel); Full House Resorts (Silver Slipper Casino Hotel); Gulfside Casino Partnership (Island View Casino Resort); Palace Casino Resort; Pearl River Resorts (Golden Moon Hotel and Casino); Saratoga Gaming (Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel); and the Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel wrote to lawmakers to oppose the proposal. They warned that legalising online sports betting and igaming would “undermine the multi-billion-dollar capital investments made by Mississippi’s traditional gaming industry since 1992 and threaten long-term local jobs.”
The coalition said the projected incremental tax revenue for the state, estimated at around $11m, is “not a material amount” compared to the potential risks to local jobs and the hospitality workforce. They added that opponents own an average of 55 per cent of their properties within Mississippi, whereas those in favour of the proposal hold just 22 per cent of their assets in the state.
Oliver Barie, government relations director for the NNAAiG, said: “This data proves that online gambling is a product Mississippi simply does not want. When residents envision what this policy means in practice—the ‘casino in your pocket’ at all hours—they move decisively away from legalisation.”
