Mississippi Online Poker Bill Introduced

The state of Mississippi will once again have an online poker bill on the table.

Longtime online gaming supporter Rep. Bobby Moak, a Democrat, has introduced the “Mississippi Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2015.” Unfortunately, previous efforts from Moak have never gained any traction in the state legislature.

“Without regulation of online gambling, the public’s trust and confidence in legal gaming is impacted,” the bill warned. Missisippi’s gambling industry sees revenue of more than $2 billion annually.

“For a small state we have done pretty well in the gaming industry,” Moak told Card Player in 2012. “We have been viewed as somewhat of a leader because we are close to the Nevada [gaming] statutes and to some degree New Jersey. Small states like Mississippi that are really heavy in the industry need to get out in front on issues like this.”

Last spring, Mississippi created a task force to study the pros and cons of web gambling. Those findings have yet to be released, which probably hurts the chances of Moak’s latest bill.

Don’t expect online gaming to be legalized in Mississippi this year. It’s safe to view Moak’s bill as a way to keep the online gaming discussion alive in the state and to hopefully set the stage for legalization sometime within the next few years.

Unlike California and Washington, the two other states looking seriously at Internet betting in 2015, Mississippi would authorize a bunch of casino games, not just poker.

Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts have casino interests in Mississippi, and all are involved with online betting either in Nevada or New Jersey, or both.

Here’s a look at the new Mississippi bill:

Mississippi Bill

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