Mississippi Senator Joey Fillingane’s Senate Bill 2510 is now officially dead since Monday was the deadline for conference committee reports. Fillingane’s bill would have increased criminal penalties for offering illegal online gambling in the state while also banning online sweepstakes gaming.
Mississippi Senate Became The First Chamber In The U.S. To Pass A Bill Banning Sweepstakes Casinos
In February, the Mississippi Senate became the first chamber in the U.S. to pass a bill banning sweepstakes casinos. House Representatives then amended it in early March to include online sports betting language. However, the Senate rejected it for the sports betting language.
Sweepstakes casinos were not specifically defined in the bill, but the measure still categorized them as unlicensed operators. Violators would have been subject to felonies, punishable by up to $10,000 in fines and up to 10 years in prison.
“If any person shall operate an online platform that facilitates illegal wagering, such person shall be guilty of a felony. Upon each conviction, a person shall be fined in a sum not more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00), or shall be imprisoned for a term of years not to exceed ten (10) years, or by both fine and imprisonment,” the bill reads.
“The assets, rights, and privileges used in connection with violations of the provisions of this section shall be liable to forfeiture, to the State of Mississippi or to the county in which a violation is committed.”
Bill Called For 12% Tax, Creation Of The Mobile Sports Wagering Tax Fund
The House provisions in S.B. 2510 included a 12% tax and up to two licenses per retail casino. The bill also would have established the Mobile Sports Wagering Tax Fund, which would have directed $6 million per annum until 2030 to support small retail casinos.
This news means a sweepstakes casino ban and online sports betting legislation in the Magnolia State could have to wait until next year. Legal sports betting is also available to residents, but bettors can only place wagers in person at brick-and-mortar casinos.
Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York have also introduced legislation to ban sweepstakes so far this year. Plus, the Connecticut Senate’s General Law Committee unanimously passed S.B. 1235 by a unanimous vote of 22-0, banning sweeps operators.
New York Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s S.B. S9226 led to six sweeps operators — Hello Millions, High 5 Casino, SportsMillions, PlayFame, SpinBlitz, and Rolling Riches — each announcing plans to exit the Empire State.