Mississippi Statewide Rule

Mississippi Sports Betting Confined to Licensed Casinos

Significant RestrictionsApplies statewide across Mississippi (2026)

Key Facts

Governing rule: Miss. Admin. Code 13-9-3.4
Licensing statute: Miss. Code Section 75-76-89
Regulator: Mississippi Gaming Commission
Where bets are legal: On casino premises only, in person
Mobile/online betting: Illegal statewide, no exceptions
2025 mobile bill (HB 1302): Passed House, died in Senate
Enforcement: Cease-and-desist, referral for prosecution

Last verified: August 21, 2026

Summary

Sports wagering is legal in Mississippi only on the physical premises of a licensed casino. Mississippi Gaming Commission Rule 13-9-3.4 requires every race book or sports pool to take bets solely at its licensed location, through approved betting stations, kiosks, or an on-site wagering system: never online or by app from off-site. Operators also need the Executive Director's written permission under Miss. Code Section 75-76-89 before opening a sports pool at all.

A book shall accept wagers only on its licensed premises, and only at betting stations or kiosks/terminals approved by the Executive Director or through an on-site computerized Wagering system that has been approved by the Executive Director. ... A Wagering account must be established by a patron with the licensee, and an initial verification of the account must be done in-person by a patron at the licensee's premises before the acceptance of any wager that will utilize a Wagering account.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Mississippi legalized sports wagering in 2018 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban, but it built the framework entirely around brick-and-mortar casinos. Miss. Code Section 75-76-89 lets a person already holding a state gaming license establish a sports pool or race book on the premises of that licensed establishment, but only after getting permission from the Mississippi Gaming Commission's Executive Director. There is no separate mobile or online license category in state law.

The Commission's own operating rule for race books and sports pools, 13-9-3.4, spells out where a wager can actually be placed: "A book shall accept wagers only on its licensed premises, and only at betting stations or kiosks/terminals approved by the Executive Director or through an on-site computerized Wagering system that has been approved by the Executive Director." Even a patron's wagering account has to be set up and verified in person at the casino before it can be used to bet. Books also cannot accept a wager once an event's outcome is already known, and every wagering proposition must be posted before bets are taken on it.

Lawmakers have tried repeatedly to authorize statewide mobile betting and failed each time. The most recent attempt, HB 1302 (the "Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act"), would have let each licensed casino contract with up to two online sports-pool platforms under geofencing and age-verification rules; it passed the House in the 2025 session but died in the Senate Gaming Committee. Until the Legislature passes and a governor signs a mobile-wagering bill, in-person, on-property betting remains the only legal path.

Violations & Penalties

Taking or placing a sports wager off a licensed casino's premises, including through any offshore or unlicensed mobile app, is illegal gambling under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act, no matter how the app markets itself. Executive Director Jay McDaniel has stated plainly that "casino-style gaming and sports wagering are not allowed online in Mississippi, outside of a licensed casino." The Commission has issued cease-and-desist letters to illegal online sportsbooks and sweepstakes-style sites and refers domestic and offshore operators to law enforcement for prosecution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bet on sports from my phone in Mississippi?

No. The Mississippi Gaming Commission's rules confine all sports wagering to a licensed casino's physical premises: at its betting stations, kiosks, or an on-site wagering system. Using an out-of-state or offshore mobile sportsbook while in Mississippi is illegal gambling, even though the app itself may be licensed somewhere else in the country.

Where can I legally place a sports bet in Mississippi?

Only inside one of the state's licensed casinos, at a sports pool the casino has been given permission to run under Miss. Code Section 75-76-89. You place the bet at a staffed betting window, a kiosk, or an on-site terminal: all located on the casino property itself.

Is Mississippi getting mobile sports betting soon?

Not immediately. The 2025 session's HB 1302 would have authorized two online platforms per casino, but it died in the Senate Gaming Committee after passing the House. No mobile-wagering law has been enacted, so on-premises betting remains the only legal option statewide.

What happens if I use an illegal offshore sportsbook from Mississippi?

The Gaming Commission treats it as illegal gambling and has already sent cease-and-desist letters to operators, with case files handed to state and federal prosecutors. Executive Director Jay McDaniel has said the law is "clear" that online sports wagering has no legal exception in Mississippi.

Sources

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