Mississippi Lt. Gov. Urges Senate to Reject Online Betting

The Magnolia State Senate appears to be caught in the middle of a fight over Mississippi online sports betting.

On Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann took to social media to urge state Senators to reject any proposals to legalize the industry. He highlighted the damage online betting has done to the country's public health, especially among young adults. 

“Online mobile sports betting increases the risk of gambling-related harm and addiction compared with traditional in-person betting (roughly 1 in 5 people with problem gambling disorder attempt suicide),” Hosemann posted on X earlier this week. Our young adults are particularly susceptible and can receive push notifications to bet on their phones 24/7.”

Hosemann also expressed doubt on the true tax revenue numbers online sports betting would generate. He believes industry proponents have exaggerated projections, meaning legalization would be a net negative. 

Earlier this year, the Mississippi House passed a pair of bills to legalize mobile betting. However, both bills died in the Senate Gaming Committee, in part because Chair Sen. David Blunt refused to hold votes on them. The lawmaker shares Hosemann's concerns, leading him to sabotage House proposals. 

Prediction Markets vs. Problem Gambling

Hosemann's post echoes concerns lawmakers around the US have shared. States like Colorado have been adding more regulations around online sportsbooks as they fight to curb the growth of problem gambling. However, we have yet to see much progress from these efforts.

One key factor the Lt. Governor left out is the emergence of sports prediction markets, which aren’t subject to state gambling regulations or taxes. That means Mississippi residents already have a way to wager on sports online, but with no benefit to the state or its problem gambling resources.

Prediction markets are already bringing the dangers Hosemann warned about, prompting some lawmakers to call out the statement. They see a regulated online sports betting market as the only solution to fend off the rival industry and provide some benefits for the state for a problem that already exists.