Mississippi Casinos

History Of Gambling In Mississippi

Gambling was prevalent long before Mississippi was declared as a state. But, it wasn’t until later that several laws were implemented to introduce regulated gambling. However, to date, online gambling has not been regulated.

• 1795: At this time, Mississippi was just a Spanish Territory. The Fleetfield Race Track in Natchez was built. The residents placed bets on horses and jockeys.
• 1817: In December, Mississippi was declared as a state, and gambling was already prevalent by this time.
• 1847: By this time, Mississippi had become a popular tourist destination for gambling.
• 1849: The first yacht club was launched, where races were frequently hosted.
• 1895: Slot machines were invented.
• 1919: Prohibition is Mississippi as well as in most of the other US states. Gambling was deemed illegal in all states except Nevada.
• 1935: Slot machine operators were raided, and massive fines were imposed.
• 1938: Slot and pinball machines were outlawed by Governor Hugh White.
• 1940: It was announced that slot machines would not be taxed as they are illegal.
• 1945: The slot machines were ordered to be removed from the commercial casinos. This was ordered by the District Attorney.
• 1950: The Gulf Coast ministers made an effort to outlaw gambling as it was associated with crime. An investigation was called by the Biloxi Protestant Ministerial Association into the open nightlife and gambling machines.
• 1954: Broadwater Beach Hotel was forced to stop providing gaming services.
• 1955: Seven Nightclubs and hotels were raided, and gambling equipment was destroyed by the Mississippi National Guard.
• 1988: Indian tribes were allowed to open casinos through the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Silver Star Casino in Neshoba County was established by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
• 1990: The Mississippi Gaming Control Act was passed by the state legislature. According to this, gambling on docked vessels along the Mississippi River was approved, and casino gambling was legalized.
• 1992: The first legal casino was launched, and dockside gambling started on 1^st.
• 1993: The Mississippi Gambling Commission was established.
• 1995-2005: Almost 30 new casinos were launched by this time. But, after the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, an amendment was made to the law. According to this law, new casinos were only allowed to be built on the shoreline.
• 2005-2015: Many new casinos were established. An attempt was also made to introduce virtual gambling, but it was disregarded.
• 2017: A legislation was passed, and daily fantasy sports was legalized.
• 2018: Sports betting was legalized. A bill was passed that allows a state lottery to be approved.

Is it Legal to Gamble Online in Mississippi?

Unfortunately, no. The state laws of Mississippi do not regulate online gambling. So, for all those who are wondering, ‘Can I gamble online in MS?’, the answer is no.

However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to gamble if you are in Mississippi. This is because you can always hop on to an offshore casino site while keeping the age limit factor in mind. So, another way of answering the question ‘Is online gambling legal in Mississippi?’ can be answered in a positive way. On offshore sites, you can play for real money and bet on any type of casino game you like.

There is no law that restricts MS players from accessing and gambling on offshore casino sites. Hence, you are not likely to face any legal complications.

Online Casino

With the absence of online casino options in MS, are you confused about how to gamble online in Mississippi? We are here to help.

Despite the lack of legal online gambling in MS, luckily, numerous international casino sites have now been launched, and many of these are open to players from MS. Therefore, you can easily head over to a casino site of your choice, sign up, and start gambling. However, it might be a good idea to make sure that the platform is licensed and secure.

Some of these sites are focused on providing poker games, while others are more comprehensive. Regardless of which site you opt for, the main casino game categories typically available online are as follows:

Online Poker

As we already know that Mississippi doesn’t regulate online poker; the only option is to resort to offshore sites. With the exception of PokerStars that doesn’t accept players from Mississippi, almost all other popular poker sites are accessible to MS residents. This includes Ignition Poker, BetOnline Poker, Bovada Poker, and Americas Cardroom, among others.

On the bright side, these sites offer a much greater variety of games as compared to land-based platforms. Apart from the classic poker game Texas Hold ’em Poker, you will also find other variations such as 7 Card Stud, Omaha, Joker Poker, and Deuces Wild, to name a few.

Online Sports Betting

In-person sports betting was recently legalized in 2018. Similarly, mobile sports betting was also approved. However, mobile betting is only allowed if the players are physically present at the sportsbook location. Online sports betting is yet to be approved.

However, a myriad of online sportsbook sites based offshore can be easily accessed by MS residents. These sites allow players to bet on a wide range of sports ranging from football, basketball, and hockey to boxing, martial arts, and much more.

Online Lottery

For a long time, the lottery was illegal in Mississippi. However, it was recently legalized in 2018. Now, a state lottery is available to the MS residents.

Among the popular lottery games, some of these are mentioned below.

• Mississippi Powerball: This remains one of the most popular games worldwide. With just 2 dollars, you can get the chance to win millions of dollars. An extra dollar will also activate the Power Play mode.
• Mississippi Mega Millions: This is another frequently played lottery in numerous states. The ticket price is the same as Powerball. You can activate the multiplier by adding an extra dollar.
• Mississippi Match 5: Match 5 is a new draw game. The draws are held thrice a week. This game also has the multiplier feature that can be activated with an extra dollar. It has 4 ways to win.
• Mississippi Cash 3: This is another draw. Cash 3 is known as the first statewide game in Mississippi. This game, however, was launched only recently but has been quickly gaining popularity.
• Scratch-Offs: If you wish to win quick cash and enjoy the game too, scratch-offs are your best bet. Currently, Mississippi Lottery offers almost 56 scratch-off games. This list is constantly updated as new games are added.

Online Bingo

The state of Mississippi does not offer online bingo. However, you can still enjoy legal online bingo by accessing licensed offshore bingo sites. These bingo sites, namely Bingo Billy and Bonus Bingo, can be easily accessed. Multiple bingo games can be enjoyed at these sites. Along with the classic bingo games, you can find many other variations here.

Online Horse Race Betting

In-person horse race betting is available at various sportsbook sites in MS. However, Mississippi state laws explicitly prohibit online horse race betting. This law is applicable to both in-state and offshore sites. Consequently, many sportsbook sites do not offer horse race betting to the residents of MS.

The only accessible sites offering online horse race betting to MS will be those who are openly defying MS state laws.

Online Sweepstakes

As usual, there are laws that must be followed for the online sweepstakes to be regarded as legal. For instance, there must not be any charges for the participant’s entry. The participants must also not be required to purchase a product or service in order to enter the contest. Plus, the winners must be selected totally at random.

Mississippi numerous sweepstakes. These are sponsored by various brands, and the prizes also vary. You can win tickets to the Football championship or win a cash prize.

Daily Fantasy Sports

While many US states are unclear on the subject of Daily Fantasy Sports, others have explicitly outlawed it. Lucky for you, Mississippi has fully legalized it after some efforts. As a result, there are multiple sites offering DFS in Mississippi.

• Online Daily Fantasy NFL: Currently, MS does not have a home team competing in the NFL. Still, it is quite a popular choice amongst fantasy players.
• Online Daily Fantasy NHL: Again, MS does not feature a team in the NHL. Nevertheless, NHL is a popular choice of online gamblers.
• Online Daily Fantasy MLB: Although Mississippi has no home team playing in MLB either, the state has produced talented athletes.
• Online Daily Fantasy NBA: Many baseball fans opt for fantasy NBA despite the absence of a home team in this league.
• College Fantasy Sports: Mississippi doesn’t disappoint when it comes to college sports. Six different universities have their teams ready for fantasy sports.

Is It Safe to Gamble at a Mississippi Online Casino?

Every state in the US has its own set of laws regarding gambling. Mississippi is known to have very stringent gambling rules. However, MS has legalized a decent amount of gambling games such as Daily Fantasy Sports and sports betting. As the laws do not explicitly outlaw casino gambling through offshore sites, these are your best bet.

But, to avoid any legal complications, make sure that the platform you choose is fully licensed and regulated by prominent authorities. This will also ensure that the player’s personal and banking data will be safe from data theft. Also, players will also have to keep the age limit in mind.

There are countless game providers that power up the massive gaming portfolios at the in-state as well as offshore casino sites. We have mentioned a few below.

1. Microgaming: Established in 1994, Microgaming has released well over 1000 impressive games. These games are a mix of slots, table games, and even scratch card games. The world popular progressive jackpot Mega Moolah is also the creation of Microgaming. This provider also offers numerous live dealer games.
2. Quickspin: This is a Swedish company that was founded in 2011. Quickspin focuses on quality rather than quantity, and this is evident by its impressive gaming portfolio that contains just a little over 50 games. Nevertheless, these games are known to feature incredible graphics, themes, and multiple ways to win.
3. NetEnt: A leading industry giant, NetEnt, has numerous games in its portfolio. This provider mainly focuses on slots, but currently, it has started branching out into table games. Both live and video table games are now offered by NetEnt. Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest is NetEnt’s most popular productions.
4. Evolution Gaming: The most popular live dealer games are mostly offered by Evolution Gaming. The friendly dealers and high-quality audio and video are the courtesy of this top-notch provider. These live games feature various stake levels to cater to people with different budgets.
5. Betsoft: More than 150 games have been developed by Betsoft so far. Betsoft mainly focuses on providing high-quality 3D video slots, but it has also produced a handful of table games. Excellent graphics are one of the characteristics of Betsoft. However, heavy graphics mean that the games require a fast internet connection to play seamlessly.
6. Merkur Gaming: This game provider is known to feature games with very engaging and immersive gameplay. All these games are innovative and entertaining. Since its inception, Merkur has released numerous games of varying volatility. Graphically attractive video slots are Merkur Gaming’s strongest suit.

Gambling Age Law

As per the Mississippi online gambling laws, the legally permissible age for gambling is 21. For any type of casino gambling such as slots and poker, the player must be older than 21. The same is implied for horse race betting too. However, 18 years and older players can indulge in charitable bingo games. If they wish to engage in real money gambling, they will have to rely on US-friendly offshore casino sites.

Mississippi is very strict when it comes to gambling laws. And thus, it employs certain measures to ensure that the laws are being followed. For instance, the Know Your Customer policy makes sure that the casino understands who the player is and this verifies his age and identity. This  helps in minimizing and eliminating underage gambling.

Land-Based Casinos in Mississippi 

Are you a fan of gambling at brick-and-mortar casinos? If yes, then Mississippi is a great place to gamble. Though this state doesn’t offer a very comprehensive online gambling experience, it more than makes up for this lacking through its land-based platforms.

Whether you want to gamble at a cruise ship casino or go for a traditional land-based casino, MS has got you covered. Currently, the state of MS houses almost 30 land-based casinos. The majority of these are commercial casinos, with only 3 as Indian casinos.

These casinos differ greatly, but almost all of these offer a very comprehensive gambling experience. The biggest casinos in Mississippi are Island View Casino, IP Casino Resort and Spa, and Beau Rivage Casino.

Which casino platform should you choose? That depends on your gaming preference and your budget. We have mentioned a few recognized casinos with the games they have to offer. Find the one that suits you best and start gambling.

Will Mississippi Regulate Online Gambling In The Future?

Quite possible. Even though full MS online gambling is not yet approved, it is quickly progressing. With the approval of daily fantasy sports and mobile sports betting, we can expect that newer games will be introduced online soon.

Recently, five bills were proposed to legalize and commence online sports betting. However, it was rejected. Nevertheless, this symbolizes the efforts being taken to pave the way for online gambling.

In 2019, the state of Mississippi received $2.2 billion as gross gaming revenue. However, in 2020, with the COVID pandemic, the state was still able to receive $1.8 billion. This signifies the importance of land-based gambling for the economy of Mississippi.

Therefore, we are expecting that MS online casino apps will soon be introduced to maximize revenues and keep up with the drastically changing trends in gambling. However, currently, you cannot find any bill being processed in favor of online gambling.