While legal Mississippi sports betting has been on the table for people for several years, online wagers continue to get banned. There have been legalization efforts of late, but things continue to get blocked in trying to get things across the line. While officials are hoping to get things moving in the right direction next year, it's safe to say that Mississippi is facing a battle for online sports betting in 2027.

That's because there are still plenty of people who are against getting things legalized, including Chairman David Blount being on that list. Blount has been quite vocal in saying that he's fine with the current setup, which allows for people to place bets at authorized locations and casinos. Some of those casinos have apps that you can place bets from while you're on the casino property, but online betting as a whole is not widespread and is not legal.

"The state's House passed two online sports betting bills during the 2026 legislative session, including HB 4074 by a 100-11 vote, but both faltered in the Senate after the Gaming Committee declined to hold hearings," CBS Sports wrote in a new article. "Committee Chairman David Blount has consistently blocked legalization efforts, and with Blount in office until 2028, online sports betting is unlikely before the 2027 session at the earliest."

The fact that multiple sports betting bills have been presented, but shot down, is quite frustrating. While Mississippi does have in-person betting on the table for people to enjoy, not having online options prevents the state from raking in a high amount of sports betting tax revenue. With Blount in office until 2028, it's totally unknown if things can move in the right direction next year, but this climb could be too tall for lawmakers and proponents to overcome.

Prediction markets will continue to thrive in Mississippi in the meantime

What makes this all the worse is that while the state takes its time in trying to get the laws to change, prediction markets will continue to thrive in Mississippi in the meantime. With it being September, there's no question that people all over the state are going to be checking the NFL betting odds to put money down.

In Mississippi, since there's no pro team, a good chunk of people root for the New Orleans Saints over in Louisiana. While the Saints aren't expected to push for a title this season, there's a lot of young talent on the roster ready to make a splash. We saw that first hand in the close Week 1 loss. Still, people will use the prediction markets to place bets on the Saints and other NFL teams.

While people can still get in their cars and put bets down in person at authorized sportsbooks, it's not the same as being able to place those wagers from the comfort of your own home or on the go. That's what these prediction markets provide to Mississippi sports fans. Again, the hope is things will change there by 2027, but 2028 may be when things get approved. Who knows, though.

Mississippi's low betting handle speaks volumes to the need for online wagers

When lifting the hood a bit and dissecting the main problems, it's safe to say that Mississippi's low betting handle speaks volumes to the need for online wagers. While the official numbers from this summer haven't been released yet, they were quite low in 2025, including only a $15 million betting handle for last July.

In turn, the tax revenue that was generated was a measly $289,000 or so. That's never going to cut it and it's a number that's far too low. This is why online betting can make such a difference. It's safe to assume that the numbers would completely and totally skyrocket with online wagers present, as countless more bets would come in.

This is something that officials, including Blount, need to keep in mind as the push arrives in 2027. More than 30 other states have legalized online betting, so there's truly no reason for Mississippi to be stuck on the sidelines here. The more time that passes without online bets, the more money the state is going to lose in potential tax revenue. It's not a good look at all.