Gambling Laws In Mississippi
Even though PASPA has been eliminated from the books, there are two remaining federal restrictions in place (the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, or UIGEA) in addition to the restrictions presented by Mississippi gambling laws. The laws, however, do not prevent the simple act of placing a bet. We can then surmise that betting is legal in the United States but the venues to do so are not readily available (but will likely be soon, as PASPA is no longer in effect).
It is at this point where the states begin to craft their own gambling laws to build upon the federal laws already in place. Mississippi is one such state that has taken great measures to provide detailed and strict gambling regulations for its residents. This page is here for those in the Magnolia State who wish to familiarize themselves with these laws so that they may gamble both legally and safely if they so choose.
PASPA Overturn By The Supreme Court Allows Mississippi Sports Betting
The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) has proven to be economically disastrous, as it outlawed all US states but Nevada from offering and accepting sports wagers. However, on May 14, 2018, the law was reversed by the highest court in the land, putting an end to the biggest economic boondoggle in American history. The PASPA overturn by the Supreme Court allows Mississippi sports betting to be legalized in the state, and while a 2017 law (HB 967) nominally did just that, there are still various regulatory considerations that have to be ironed out at the state level before MS residents can place sports wagers locally.
In the meantime, you can continue to use legal offshore sportsbooks like Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, and other top MS sportsbooks to wager on all the athletics you like as you wait for Mississippi to implement its own rules. As always, these sites are free to join and offer safe, secure, legal sports betting action to all MS sports bettors.
Gambling is typically frowned upon in the Deep South and though some legislation from Mississippi is indeed anti-gambling, the Magnolia State is one of the most prominent locations for gambling in the region. Local voters have approved the southern-most three counties to be exempt from the states anti-gambling laws allowing numerous casinos to legally exist and provide tax revenue to the state. Also excluded from illegal gambling is if the wagering is taking place on a vessel offshore from one of the southern 3 counties. Gambling outside of a state-sanctioned facility or safe area could result in a $500 fine and/or up to 20 days in jail. It is written in the State's legislation that all gambling laws in Mississippi are remedial and not penal.
Although gambling is strongly regulated in the state of Mississippi, it is not outright forbidden. It is only unlawful to place bets or wagers outside of state-sanctioned and licensed facilities or exempted areas. This includes social games in a private residence, much to the surprise of many residents. The Magnolia State is one of those states placed snugly in between two extremes where gambling is completely allowed in some instances and vehemently outlawed in others. There does not seem to be much in the ways of investigation or enforcement of casual bets placed outside of the Egg Bowl or in a private, home setting.
As is the case with any other state in the Union, Mississippi will drop harsher punishments on those who engage in the business of gambling for profit without having the requisite licenses. This can bring steep fines and prison time and we would not recommend that anyone take a cut of any betting situation, even if it's a home poker game hosted by grandma who wants to keep $5 for her homemade shrimp and grits which she has provided to the players present. In short, gambling in Mississippi is illegal unless you go to a place which provides legalized gambling such as a state licensed facility or a Native American tribal casino.
Land-Based Gambling In Mississippi
In the early 1990's, Mississippi lawmakers began the legalization process for casinos to take up shop in the Magnolia State. There are now over 30 gambling facilities in the state which feature nearly 40,000 slots and gaming machines along with a thousand table games. In Mississippi, local bettors can bet as low as $0.01 and up to $10,000 in all of the major forms of gambling whether it be classic casino games, live poker or even greyhound racing. There are also a few Native American casinos in the mix to extend the betting options even further. The majority of Mississippi's casinos can be found in the southern-most portion of the state along the coast. Voters in the Magnolia State passed a measure for the counties of Hancock, Harrison and Jackson to all be allowed to host licensed and legalized gambling open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Online Gambling In Mississippi
Although online gambling was recently brought up for discussion with lawmakers in Mississippi, there were no new laws passed to begin legalization or regulation (albeit these are coming now that PASPA has been officially overturned). This does not mean that gambling online in the Magnolia State is illegal, however. There is nothing written in the state's legislation in regards to the internet which means that federal laws, in turn, take over as the guidelines for what residents can and cannot do.
As stated at the beginning of this page, one is allowed to place a bet or wager so long as it is not to the profit of facilitating other bets as a gambling operation, unless such an operator is licensed under the state's new PASPA-free guidelines. This law has eliminated the venues which can take bets but only those which are based on U.S. soil, and again, this is rapidly changing.
However, even after the new pro-sports-betting laws are in effect in MS, any entity which is taking bets while based outside of U.S. jurisdiction is perfectly able to accept wagers from U.S. residents and under the rule of law. Residents of Mississippi are also legally able to place such bets. The question then is finding which sites outside of federal jurisdiction are the best and safest to use. The sites which we list here are our top picks for safety, reliability and customer support and are located in nations with well-respected gambling and banking laws. Some are even as nearby as neighboring Canada and specifically tailored for American bettors.
Popular Gambling Options In Mississippi:
Online Sportsbooks - Online Casinos - Online Poker
By far our favorite site to use from Mississippi is the beloved Bovada.lv. With decades in the business and millions of happy users, this online gambling site has been providing steady payouts to American users to rave reviews and a wide range of betting options. Perhaps the most enticing aspects of Bovada are the features of their online sportsbook which has garnered attention from such reputable sources as USA Today, CBS Sports and ESPN who routinely use their betting lines and odds for their own reporting even over those bookmakers in Las Vegas. With virtually every sport, league, team and player in this particular cluster of stars, users are able to wager on futures, props or even live betting while a game is unfolding before the bettor's eyes.
Upon becoming a new member, Mississippi residents will find that their first deposit is increased by 50% up to $250 for completely free betting action to get one started on the finest sports betting site in the industry. Bovada is our top favorite online sports betting site not only for ourselves but also for Bulldog and Rebel fans all throughout the state.
| Best Overall Betting Sites | Sports? | Casino? | Poker? | Horses? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| BetOnline | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
| SportsBetting | YES! | YES! | YES! | YES! | Play Now! |
Mississippi gambling code states that the legal age to wager money in the state of Mississippi is 21 years of age, or older, for any land based establishment. However, those wishing to bet online may only be 18 or older to sign up and wager with any of our recommended legal Mississippi gambling websites. If you are not yet old enough, be patient and wait your turn because the rewards you could potentially reap are well worth the time.
Best For All Gaming Types
