Mississippi legalized sports betting on August 1, 2018. After 18 months in operation, the Mississippi sports betting industry generated $59.6 million in taxable revenue. The state earns eight percent of the amount. Also, four percent of the revenue goes to local governments where casinos are based.
Most of the casinos in Mississippi are near the Gulf Coast. In 2019 alone, the state earned $3.56 million in taxes. Also, local governments got $1.78 million. People love to bet on sports. As a result, it brings money to the state.
Sports betting is a huge industry in Mississippi. Also, it helped revitalize other aspects of casinos, including restaurants, table games, slots, and pokers. Wagering on sports brought back foot traffic to casinos in the state, according to a pay per head bookie.
Mississippi Sports Betting Industry
A pay per head blog learned that many Mississippi residents make trips to Philadelphia multiple times during football season before the state legalized sports betting. They stay at a casino hotel, where they eat meals at a restaurant, play blackjack, and play golf. However, their main itinerary is to bet on sports.
Mississippi is the third state to offer sports wagering. At present, there are 13 states with legal sports betting. However, it is not yet operational in seven states. Louisiana and Alabama don’t have legal sports betting. As a result, residents of those states go to Mississippi or Philadelphia to bet on sports. However, Philadelphia has more sports betting visitors than the Magnolia State.
A pay per head sportsbook expert said that calls the migration of players to nearby states led to the neighborhood effect. States don’t want to get left behind and start the legalization process of their sports betting industry.
Based on sportsbook pay per head providers, 15 states have active legislation to legalize sports betting, including Florida and California. With the popularity of sports betting in the US, it wouldn’t be long before most states make the activity legal.
