New polling and casino pushback reveal overwhelming resistance to mobile betting in the Magnolia State.
Voters Say No—and Loudly
Mississippi voters aren’t on the fence when it comes to legalizing online sports betting (OSB) or iGaming. According to fresh polling commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG), nearly three-quarters of respondents (74.2%) rejected mobile sports betting once they understood it meant wagering via smartphones across the state. That number climbed even higher for iGaming, with 80.8% opposing access to 24/7 online casino-style games.
The survey, conducted by the Bradley Research Group, polled over 4,200 registered voters. The sentiment held steady across congressional districts, age brackets, and demographics, pointing to a unified rejection of expanding digital gambling in the state.
Casinos Warn: Jobs at Risk, Revenue at Stake
A coalition of Mississippi’s leading casino operators, including the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Pearl River Resorts, delivered a pointed letter to state lawmakers on January 21. Their message? Online gambling threatens not just their bottom lines, but thousands of jobs and decades of local investment.
They argue that digital wagering will erode foot traffic at physical casinos, leading to job cuts, particularly in hospitality. Traditional casinos reinvest locally, they claim, while mobile platforms funnel profits to out-of-state tech firms. That shift could devastate communities that have relied on casino-driven economies since the industry’s 1992 launch.
The coalition also took aim at optimistic tax revenue projections. They estimate online sports betting would net the state just $11 million a year—pocket change compared to Mississippi’s $7 billion budget and hardly worth gutting a long-standing industry.
Rising Addiction, Minimal Gain
Beyond dollars and jobs, the casino bloc raised red flags about public health. They cited alarming stats from states that have already embraced mobile gambling: a 372% spike in problem gambling behavior, a 67% increase in addiction-related search traffic, and a 30% uptick in bankruptcies among low-savings households.
As NAAiG’s Oliver Barie put it, “When residents envision what this policy means in practice—the ‘casino in your pocket’ at all hours—they move decisively away from legalization.”
Deep Ties vs. Outside Interests
The anti-iGaming coalition also framed the fight as one of locals versus outsiders. On average, the operators opposing digital gambling own 55% of their casino properties in Mississippi. Supporters of expansion? Just 22%. That imbalance, they argue, underscores who’s truly invested in the state’s future.
Among the letter’s signatories were major players like Churchill Downs Inc., Foundation Gaming & Entertainment, Full House Resorts, Gulfside Casino Partnership, Palace Casino Resort, Pearl River Resorts, Saratoga Gaming, and Treasure Bay Casino.
Kansas Comparison Fuels the Debate
Supporters of online expansion often point to Kansas as a model. The state legalized mobile sports betting in 2022 and has already processed nearly $8 billion in wagers, generating about $740.5 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR).
By contrast, Mississippi—with its earlier retail-only launch in 2018—has seen a total handle of $3.29 billion and GGR of $352.6 million.
Yet opponents argue that Mississippi’s steady retail growth—like the $4.4 million in GGR from December 2023 alone—shows the current setup works just fine. They don’t see a need to chase Kansas-style numbers if it means risking jobs, revenue, and public health in the process.
Lawmakers Under Pressure
Despite the outcry, bills to legalize mobile betting—HB1581 and SB2249—are working their way through the legislature. Whether they gain traction remains to be seen, but for now, voters and casino operators are united in telling lawmakers: don’t bet on it.
