As regulated sports betting rapidly embeds itself in the heart of US culture, gambling industry observers are getting a look at what various scenarios look like in real life. For example, the US state of Mississippi recently showed how much money could be earned in a month without football, in a state without mobile sports betting. It’s an odd scenario, but it’s profitable nonetheless.
According to a recent report on iGamingBusiness.com, players in Mississippi dropped $47.8 million on legal wagers during the month of February 2021. That’s more than double what they spent in February 2020, but down almost 30 percent from what they spent in January 2021. All that regulated wagering amounted to about $4.6 million in revenue for the state’s regulated sportsbooks.
All that is pretty good for a month that only offered one professional football game, but lawmakers in the state are concerned that a lack of mobile wagering options means that the state is leaving a lot of money on the table. That why they’ve been advocating for a mobile sports betting bill.
In a statement reported on by LegalSportsReport.com, Mississippi State Senator Phil Moran lamented the lack of mobile options saying, ““Every day millions of Americans in 15 states have access to state-of-the-art mobile sportsbooks, allowing them to place bets on their favorite teams and leagues at home while fostering much-needed tax revenue. Unfortunately, Mississippi law does not authorize online sports betting, but this bill seeks to change that. Mississippi has been leaving money on the table by not authorizing online sports wagering, and it is time to modernize Mississippi’s gambling offerings and do what’s best for Mississippians.”
Since regulated sports betting came to the state in 2018, it’s raised approximately $12 million in tax revenue for the nation’s poorest state.