Mississippi governor signs bill to create online sports betting taskforce

Governor Timothy Reeves has signed House Bill 606 into law.

US.- State governor Timothy Reeves has signed an online sports betting bill into law in Mississippi. The bill was introduced to the legislature in January and was passed by both the House and the Senate. The legislation will see the state will set up a task force to explore the possibility of launching online gambling in Mississippi in 2024.

House Bill 606 was read in the Gaming and Appropriations committee in the House before passing a 109-5 vote. It then went to the Gaming committee in the Senate before passing the upper chamber in a 49-1 vote. 

The law was introduced by representatives Casey Eure and Kevin Felsher and initially had the far more expansive goal of legalising mobile sports betting state-wide by allowing each of the state’s 26 land-based casinos to partner with an online sportsbook. However, the bill was significantly cut down in committee. 

Under the final law, a Mobile Sports Betting Task Force will be established to study the issue and recommend legislation next session. The task force will have 13 members, co-chaired by the House Gaming Committee chair, Rep. Eure and the Senate Gaming Committee chair, David Blount. 

The rest of the task force will be the executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, Jay McDaniel; the commissioner of the Department of Revenue, Chris Graham; the chairman of the Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association, Larry Gregory – or a chosen designee from each. The co-chairs will also be able to appoint three members to the task force each. Their names must be finalised by July 31, under the bill’s terms.

Retail sports betting launched in Mississippi in August 2018.