Mississippi Senate Leads with Sweepstake Casino Ban
The Mississippi Senate has made a groundbreaking move by becoming the first U.S. legislative body to approve a ban on sweepstakes casinos. On Tuesday, a revised version of Senate Bill 2510 (SB 2510), introduced by Senator Joey Fillingane, passed with a 44-1 vote. The bill aims to prohibit online sweepstakes and toughen penalties for offshore online casinos operating within the state.
After passing, a motion to reconsider brought the bill back to the Senate floor on Wednesday when lawmakers reconvened. It was part of a batch of bills approved without discussion and is now on its way to the House of Representatives for further review.
This bill seeks to amend the Mississippi Code of 1972 to enforce a statewide ban on sweepstakes gambling platforms. However, the legislation does not yet provide a clear-cut definition of the term “sweepstakes.”
Along with the ban, the bill sets heavy penalties for individuals or organizations that break the state’s rules by operating illegal online casinos or similar platforms. The penalties outlined include felony charges that could lead to prison sentences of up to 10 years or fines as high as $100,000. These penalties apply to both the operators and promoters of these illegal platforms.
A Collaboration Between the Mississippi Gaming Commission and Casinos
Senator Fillingane explained that this bill was a joint effort between the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) and representatives from the state’s licensed brick-and-mortar casinos. He also pointed out that the bill groups both offshore online casinos and sweepstakes platforms together, naming examples such as Bovada, Chumba, Stake, MyBookie, BetUS, and others.
One of the senator’s major concerns was that many residents in Mississippi are unaware that they’re breaking the law when using sweepstakes casinos online. According to Fillingane, “Many Mississippians have no idea when they’re on their device that they’re even breaking the law because it looks completely legitimate.”
Fillingane further explained that the bill is focused on holding online operators responsible, rather than targeting individual users. The Mississippi Gaming Commission has already sent cease-and-desist letters to major offshore sites like Bovada, MyBookie, BetUS, BetWhale, and BetOnline. Despite a second round of letters sent in December, none of these companies have responded so far.
Other States Also Considering Sweeps Legislation
Mississippi’s action marks the first firm step toward regulating sweepstakes casinos, but it is not alone in considering such legislation. Several other states, including Connecticut and Maryland, have also introduced bills aimed at prohibiting online sweepstakes platforms. Meanwhile, New Jersey is looking to regulate sweepstakes casinos by defining them and placing them under official regulation.
As states continue to address the growing issue of sweepstakes casinos, we can expect to see more legislative action aimed at regulating or outright banning these platforms in the near future.
