Mississippi sports betting revenue hits $3.4m in March

Revenue was down 32.0% from $5.0m in March 2023. However, the monthly total was 47.8% ahead of $2.3m in Mississippi in February this year.

The year-on-year drop in revenue came despite only a small decline in handle. In March, Mississippi players spent $44.5m betting on sports, down 4.7% from $46.7m in 2023.

On a month-on-month basis, handle was 41.7% ahead of the $31.4m wagered in February.

As for where players are betting, coastal casinos in Mississippi remain the most popular venues. During March, $30.2m was bet at casinos in coastal areas, resulting in $1.9m in revenue.

Of all wagers placed at costal casinos, $20.2m were on basketball, generating $343,648 in revenue in the process. However, the most revenue came from parlay cards, with $4.0m in bets leading to revenue of $728,221.

Central casinos processed a total of $8.9m in sports wagers, generating $1.0m in revenue. Again, basketball drew the most bets at $4.5m, but $4.0m parlay card bets drew the most revenue at $584,612.

As for northern casinos, players spent $5.5m, with revenue at these venues hitting $468,058 in March. Basketball was the main source of activity, attracting $3.7m in bets and generating $249,668 in revenue.

Caesars launches on-site mobile

Earlier this month, Caesars Entertainment launched its mobile sports betting product at Mississippi-based Harrah’s Gulf Coast Hotel & Casino. Caesars is the second operator to offer on-site mobile — BetMGM began doing so at Beau Rivage several years ago.

Players can download the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app and place bets. Wagering via the app is only permitted while users are physically present at Harrah’s Gulf Coast.

A retail Caesars Sportsbook facility at the casino has been taking bets at Harrah’s Gulf Coast since 2018.

Players in Mississippi remain limited to placing mobile wagers inside casinos partnered with an online operator.

However, a new bill could change this and open the market. HB 774 would permit mobile wagering anywhere inside the state and allow up to 26 licences, each tethered to commercial casinos in Mississippi. 

Lawmakers have been unable to come to a consensus on what digital sports betting should look like, and the bill has been sent to a conference committee. Committee members were named last week. The session is set to end 5 May, giving the committee a little less than two weeks to hammer out an agreement.

The bill passed the house on 1 February and moved to the senate on 5 February.