Mississippi: status at a glance
| Online casino | Not authorized |
|---|---|
| Sports betting | Retail only |
| Online poker | Not authorized |
| Sweepstakes casinos | No ban found in our sources only a bill, SB 2104, which died in committee on 3 Mar 2026; no ban or regulator action cited |
The short answer, product by product
Online casino games are not licensed in Mississippi, and no regulator here issues a license for them. The same is true of online poker. Sports wagering exists, but industry trackers list it as a retail product: bets are taken at licensed casino properties, not through a statewide app open to anyone in the state.
Sweepstakes casinos hold no Mississippi license. The only item cited for the state is a bill, SB 2104, that died in the House Gaming Committee on March 3, 2026. No ban and no regulator or attorney general action is cited, and one tracker lists the state as restricted.
The general rule in the criminal code
Mississippi starts from prohibition. Section 97-33-1 of the Mississippi Code makes it an offense to play for money or something of value at a game, or to bet on a game, an election, or the result of any event or contingency. The section is subject to section 97-33-8 and to listed exceptions. One of them covers betting on a cruise vessel in the waters south of the three southernmost counties, including the Mississippi Sound and the Biloxi and Pascagoula bays, where the voters of the county holding the port have not voted to prohibit it.
That structure explains the shape of the market. Gambling is lawful where the legislature carved out an exception and licensed the venue, and unlawful elsewhere. None of the exceptions we read mentions an offshore website, so unlicensed online play sits outside the licensed system.
What the 2026 Senate bill tried to change
Senate Bill 2104 of the 2026 regular session was filed by Senators Fillingane and Blount and referred to the Judiciary Division B committee on January 9. The bill would have amended sections 97-33-1 and 97-33-7 so that any online, interactive or computerized version of a game falls under the ban on betting, and it would have written section 97-33-8 to reach internet sweepstakes casinos. As introduced, it raised the criminal penalties, made operating an online platform for illegal wagering a felony, allowed forfeiture of assets used in a violation, and gave the Gaming Commission room to use contingency fee agreements for forfeited assets. A separate section would have shielded certain telecommunications, cable and technology platforms from liability.
The bill's path, from the Legislature's own history record:
- January 28: the committee passed a substitute.
- February 4: the committee substitute was adopted and the Senate passed the bill.
- February 5 and 6: it was sent to the House and referred to the Gaming Committee.
- March 3: it died in committee.
The Legislature's record marks the bill as dead. Nothing in SB 2104 became law, so the existing text of section 97-33-1 still governs.
Who regulates gambling in Mississippi
The Mississippi Gaming Commission is the agency named in the bill text as the body that would handle forfeited assets, and it is the regulator of the state's licensed casinos. The Commission's own website returned an error to our normal client when we tried to read it, so this page does not quote its guidance. Residents who want the Commission's current position on sports wagering, license holders or complaints should read it directly on its site.
Sweepstakes casinos and offshore sites for Mississippi residents
A sweepstakes casino is not a Mississippi licensee, and the absence of a ban is not a license. Section 97-33-8 was part of the rewrite proposed in SB 2104, a bill that died in committee, so no sweepstakes provision of that bill is law. The wider legal picture, including federal law and the states that have enacted bans, is covered in are sweepstakes casinos legal and the list of states that ban sweepstakes casinos.
Offshore casino sites hold licenses, if any, from foreign authorities, not from Mississippi. Their license status says nothing about whether Mississippi residents may legally use them. Offshore casinos explains how those licenses work and what they do and do not cover.
Sports and poker in the wider picture
Sports betting rules differ sharply from state to state. Mississippi is one of the states trackers describe as retail only, and the comparison across all states is on sports betting by state. Poker follows a similar pattern: no Mississippi online poker license is listed, and the states that do license it are collected on online poker by state.
Where to get help
The national problem gambling helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738). More on support tools and warning signs is on responsible gambling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play at an online casino in Mississippi?
No Mississippi license exists for online casino games. The state's gambling statute prohibits betting except where it carves out an exception, and none of the listed exceptions covers an internet casino.
Can I bet on sports on my phone in Mississippi?
Industry trackers describe Mississippi sports wagering as retail only, taken at licensed casinos. They do not list a statewide betting app. Check the Gaming Commission's site for its current rules.
Did Mississippi ban sweepstakes casinos in 2026?
No. Senate Bill 2104 would have named internet sweepstakes casinos in section 97-33-8 and raised the penalty to a felony. It passed the Senate on February 4, 2026, and died in a House committee on March 3, 2026.
Does a foreign license make an offshore site legal in Mississippi?
No. A foreign license is issued under another country's law. Mississippi's licensing and its criminal code apply to what happens inside the state.