Mississippi lawmakers have filed a new bill that would make operating or promoting online sweepstakes casinos a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison—but the legislation’s origins reveal something more than consumer protection at work. Senator Joey Fillingane explicitly stated the bill is “a collaboration between the Mississippi Gaming Commission and representatives of existing licensed brick-and-mortar casinos,” raising the question: is this regulation, or is it a $2.4 billion industry using state power to eliminate competition?
KEY FACTS AT A GLANCE
- Bill: SB 2104, filed January 9, 2026
- Sponsors: Senators Joey Fillingane (R) and David Blount (D)
- Penalties: Up to 10 years in prison and $100,000 fines for operating OR promoting sweepstakes
- Effective date: July 1, 2026 (if passed)
- Status: Referred to Senate Judiciary Division B Committee
- Previous attempt: 2025 version passed Senate 51-0 but died in conference
What SB 2104 Would Do
Senate Bill 2104 proposes revising Mississippi’s statutory definitions of illegal gaming devices to explicitly include “online sweepstakes casino-style games.” The bill creates two new felony offenses with identical penalties:
| Offense | Classification | Max Fine | Max Prison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating sweepstakes platform | Felony | $100,000 | 10 years |
| Promoting sweepstakes platform | Felony | $100,000 | 10 years |
The bill includes unique enforcement provisions: contingency-fee arrangements allowing the Mississippi Gaming Commission to pursue asset forfeitures (essentially self-funding enforcement), and venue shopping that permits prosecution in Hinds County regardless of where the alleged offense occurred.
Notably, SB 2104 does not specifically define “dual-currency” models—casting a broader net than California’s AB 831, which prompted Stake.us to exit California last year. Mississippi joins a growing list of states taking aggressive action against sweepstakes platforms, including Indiana’s recent regulatory hearings and Tennessee’s sweepstakes shutdown.
The Fortress State: Who Really Wrote This Bill
While the bill is framed as consumer protection, Senator Fillingane’s own words reveal its true origins. Speaking on the Senate floor during the 2025 legislative push, Fillingane stated:
“This bill is a collaboration between the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) and representatives of existing licensed brick-and-mortar casinos.”
— Senator Joey Fillingane (R), 2025 Senate Floor Statement
That collaboration protects a substantial economic footprint. Mississippi’s 26 commercial casinos and 3 tribal gaming facilities generated $2.43 billion in gaming revenue in 2024, supporting approximately 42,000 jobs. The industry contributed $156.6 million to the state’s General Fund in fiscal year 2024—the sixth-largest revenue source—plus $96.5 million in local government distributions.
| Region | Jan-May 2025 Revenue | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Coast (Biloxi) | $659 million | ↑ Growing |
| Northern (Tunica) | $222 million | ↓ Declining |
| Central | Smallest market | ↓ Declining |
But the industry faces mounting pressure. Overall 2024 revenue dropped 2% year-over-year, and the northern Tunica market—once the nation’s third-largest casino destination behind Las Vegas and Atlantic City—continues its two-decade decline.
Sam’s Town: A Symbol of Market Contraction
The November 2025 closure of Sam’s Town Tunica after 31 years of operation underscores the industry’s challenges. Boyd Gaming’s statement was blunt:
“Demand throughout the northwest Mississippi market has declined significantly over the past 20 years, with several of Tunica’s original casinos closing since 2014.”
— Boyd Gaming Official Statement
Sam’s Town was the largest casino still operating in Tunica, employing around 200 people. With its closure, only five gaming centers remain in a market that once boasted 11 properties. The culprits are familiar: Arkansas legalized full-scale casinos in 2018, Tennessee launched online sports betting, and regional competition intensified.
This context matters. A contracting industry with declining revenues has strong incentive to eliminate any new competition—and sweepstakes casinos represent exactly that threat to slot machine revenue.
The Sports Betting Stalemate: Proof of Protectionism
Mississippi’s hostility toward online gambling extends beyond sweepstakes. Despite legalizing retail sports betting in 2018, the state remains one of 19 that prohibit mobile sports wagering—and the reason reveals the same protectionist pattern.
| Year | Bill | House | Senate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mobile betting bill | ✓ Passed | ✗ Died |
| 2024 | Mobile betting bill | ✓ Passed | ✗ Died |
| 2025 | HB 1302 | ✓ Passed 88-10 | ✗ Died (no hearing) |
The bottleneck is Senator David Blount, who chairs the Senate Gaming Committee—and is also a co-sponsor of SB 2104. According to the Sun Herald, Blount does not support online sports betting and refuses to bring mobile wagering bills to committee for a vote, citing “cannibalization” concerns from brick-and-mortar casino interests.
In 2025, HB 1302 passed the House with an overwhelming 88-10 vote. The bill even required operators like DraftKings and FanDuel to partner with Mississippi casinos before launching mobile platforms. It didn’t matter—Blount never scheduled a hearing, and the bill died on a legislative deadline.
The message is clear: Mississippi’s gaming establishment will block any form of online gambling that competes with existing casino revenue, regardless of public support or economic benefit.
Enforcement Already Underway
Mississippi isn’t waiting for SB 2104 to pass. The Gaming Commission has already taken aggressive action against sweepstakes operators.
In June 2025, the MGC issued cease-and-desist letters to 10 operators, including Chumba Casino, Bovada, BetUS, MyBookie, and several offshore sites. MGC Executive Director Jay McDaniel made the state’s position explicit:
“Our laws are clear that casino style gaming and sports wagering are not allowed online in Mississippi, outside of a licensed casino… The MGC will aggressively pursue both domestic and offshore illegal operators.”
— Jay McDaniel, MGC Executive Director
The crackdown had immediate effects. VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino, ended Sweeps Coin play in Mississippi during summer 2025. This follows a broader industry pattern—Pragmatic Play exited the US sweepstakes market entirely after similar regulatory pressure, cutting off game supply to dozens of platforms.
Who Benefits From SB 2104
The major casino operators who collaborated on this legislation include some of the biggest names in gaming:
| Operator | Mississippi Properties |
|---|---|
| MGM Resorts | Beau Rivage (Biloxi) |
| Caesars Entertainment | Harrah’s Gulf Coast, Horseshoe Tunica, Isle Lula, Trop Greenville |
| Penn Entertainment | Ameristar Vicksburg, Hollywood Tunica, Hollywood Gulf Coast, Boomtown Biloxi, 1st Jackpot |
| Boyd Gaming | IP Casino Resort Spa (Biloxi) |
| Bally’s Corporation | Hard Rock Biloxi, Bally’s Vicksburg |
| Cherokee Nation | Gold Strike Tunica |
| Choctaw Tribe | Pearl River Resort (Golden Moon, Silver Star, Bok Homa) |
These operators collectively run 23 retail sportsbooks across the state. They stand to lose nothing from SB 2104—sweepstakes casinos compete primarily with their slot machine revenue, not their sports betting operations.
What This Means for Mississippi Players
Mississippi is not a neutral state on sweepstakes casinos—it is actively hostile. While current enforcement efforts target operators rather than individual players, the state has made clear its intention to eliminate online gaming access entirely.
PLAYER CONSIDERATIONS
- Major sweepstakes platforms like Chumba have already exited Mississippi
- Remaining platforms may restrict access if SB 2104 passes
- Consider balance redemption before potential platform exits
- Legal alternatives include 26 land-based casinos across the state
What Happens Next
SB 2104 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Division B Committee—which Senator Fillingane chairs. Given that the 2025 version passed the Senate 51-0, committee approval seems likely.
The bill’s fate will depend on whether the House again attempts to attach mobile sports betting provisions, which killed the 2025 version. If it reaches Governor Tate Reeves’ desk as a clean sweepstakes ban, passage appears probable.
For the sweepstakes industry—already facing mounting legal challenges and over 80 class-action lawsuits—Mississippi represents another state where incumbent casino interests are successfully using the legislative process to eliminate competition. This time with the explicit acknowledgment that the bill was written in collaboration with those same interests.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Follow the money — Senator Fillingane admitted SB 2104 was written in collaboration with Mississippi’s licensed casinos, not as independent consumer protection
- A $2.4B industry is fighting back — Land-based casinos generated $2.43 billion in 2024 revenue and face a contracting market, giving them strong incentive to eliminate sweepstakes competition
- Pattern of protectionism — The same Senate that will likely pass the sweeps ban has killed mobile sports betting bills three years running, citing casino “cannibalization” concerns
- Enforcement is already happening — The MGC issued cease-and-desist letters to Chumba, Bovada, and others in June 2025; Chumba has already exited the state
- High stakes penalties — If passed, operating OR promoting sweepstakes would be a felony with up to 10 years in prison and $100,000 fines
Sources
- Public Notice: Cease and Desist Orders (June 2025) — Mississippi Gaming Commission
- Monthly Gaming Revenue Reports — Mississippi Gaming Commission
- Sam’s Town Tunica Closure Announcement — Boyd Gaming
- HB 1302: Mobile Sports Betting Bill — Mississippi Legislature
