MGM Casinos apply for on-site mobile sportsbook in Mississippi

MGM Casinos apply for on-site mobile sportsbook in Mississippi

Mississippi Gaming Commission has affirmed that two MGM Resorts casinos have expressed interest in offering on-site mobile sports betting.

MGM Casinos to roll out on-site sports betting 

Jay McDaniel, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, told Gambling.com that no other casino firms had approached him about on-site mobile sports betting.

“I have no additional pending requests and do not anticipate any in the foreseeable future,” he stated. The only Mississippi casino providing mobile on-site sports betting was the Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, an MGM Resorts facility. The Gold Strike is located about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, along the Mississippi River.

Early November, the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, became the state’s second casino to offer sports betting app to its visitors. 

Mobile sports betting is not permitted in Mississippi unless the user is on casino property. 

“Guests at Beau Rivage no longer need to leave the pool, spa, craps table, or their tomahawk ribeye at BR Prime to participate in the action,” the firm claimed in a news statement.

Subject to Legislative Approval 

26 commercial casinos operate in Mississippi, 12 of which lie along the Gulf Coast, including eight in the Biloxi area. Patrons are permitted to place wagers in-person at sportsbooks located within the casinos.

McDaniel informed Gambling.com that off-site mobile sports wagering is not permitted without legislative clearance. 

The Legislature will reconvene in January in the capital city of Jackson. “Our regulations permit the use of a mobile device for sports betting, but only while the user is on the grounds of a licensed casino,” McDaniel explained. “Any further mobile wagering would require a statutory amendment by our Legislature.”

Revenue Sharing Dispute with Arkansas

Two states bordering Mississippi have authorized mobile sports betting in the last year. Tennessee, which does not have casinos, will offer mobile sports betting in November 2020. Louisiana, another neighboring state, allowed mobile sports betting this summer. After operators have been inspected and regulated, online sports betting will likely commence in Louisiana after the new year.

Arkansas is also poised to introduce mobile sports betting shortly. The State Racing Commission has scheduled the voting on Dec. 30 on a regulation change that would lift restrictions on gamblers to place sports wagers using their cellphones or laptops from anywhere in the state. Off-site sports betting could be active in Arkansas by February if legalized.

In Arkansas, one topic of disagreement is whether the state law should contain wording forcing online bookmakers such as DraftKings and FanDuel to share at least 50% of mobile sports betting revenue with their casino partners. Typically, operators return between 5% and 15% of such money to the casinos. Arkansas casinos argue that the majority of earnings should stay within the state. Online operators argued they should negotiate with their casino partners to reach revenue-sharing agreements not mandated by the state.

About Lou De Aguila

Lou Aguila is a news and feature writer for Golden Casino News. For over a decade, Lou has published news and featured articles for some of the most reputable sports betting and online casino sites in the world, including BetNow.UK, VegasOdds, and BWin. Apart from being a hardcore live casino punter, he also covers sports stories in North American leagues from time to time.