The complete guide to Mississippi online gambling laws
Mississippi gambling laws are some of the most distinctive in the US. The state has welcomed land-based gambling with casinos and retail sportsbooks, but real money online gambling sites in Mississippi are still illegal. Sportsbook apps can be used on casino grounds only.
Our gambling experts have collected the best legal gambling options on this page, and given you straight answers to all your questions about Mississippi online gambling.
Use the navigation cards to head straight to the areas that interest you. Or, continue reading for the full scoop on Mississippi gambling laws.
Best online gambling sites in Mississippi — at a glance
To gamble online in Mississippi, your best bet is to go to a social or sweepstake casino. Online social and sweeps casinos let you play your favorite slots and table casino games legally and for free.
Keep in mind that you can’t win any real money at a social casino. Real money can be won from sweepstakes casinos but each casino will have a different mechanic of how to convert virtual coins to real ones.
These casinos are popular in Mississippi and beyond because they provide an exciting gameplay experience without the need to risk money. Many players use social and sweepstake casinos such as Gambino Slots or Pulsz to learn games, practice, and develop their strategies and skills. Social casinos allow you to interact online with fellow players and be part of a community.
There are dozens of fantastic social and sweepstake casinos you can access from Mississippi, so choosing the best one can be challenging. Our casino experts have listed the top social casinos in Mississippi to get you started.
| Casino Logo | Odds rating | Bonus | Go to casino Button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
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94/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 92% Playscore based on |
1.5 million WOW Coins + 35 free Sweepstakes Coins
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Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods 
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2
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91/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 82% Playscore based on |
200,000 Gold Coins + 3 Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
15 payment methods
|
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3
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89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 83% Playscore based on |
500 Gold Coins + 3 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
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4
|
89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 79% Playscore based on |
1,000,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Spree Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
5
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89/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 87% Playscore based on |
Up to 120,000 Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
3 payment methods
|
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6
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89/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 92% Playscore based on |
Up to 650,000 Gold Coins and 1,400 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
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7
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88/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 96% Playscore based on |
250,000 Gold Coins and $25 Stake Cash
|
Play now |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
|
8
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88/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 87% Playscore based on |
2,000,000 Gold Coins and 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
9 payment methods
|
|
9
|
88/100 Expert rating by Charlie S. 90% Playscore based on |
57,000 Gold Coins + 27.5 free Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
4 payment methods
|
|
10
|
87/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 84% Playscore based on |
Up to 367,000 Gold Coins + 32.3 free Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
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11
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87/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 84% Playscore based on |
100,000 Gold Coins + 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
12
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87/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 86% Playscore based on |
150,000 Gold Coins for $10 + 30 FREE Sweeps Coins — over 65% off
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
13
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87/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 80% Playscore based on |
7,500 Gold Coins + 2.5 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
8 payment methods
|
|
14
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87/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 91% Playscore based on |
100,000 Crown Coins + 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
7 payment methods
|
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15
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87/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 85% Playscore based on |
7,000 Gold Coins and 10 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
9 payment methods
|
|
16
|
86/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 90% Playscore based on |
Up to 200,000 Gold Coins + 9 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
17
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85/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 85% Playscore based on |
100,000 Gold Coins + 200 free spins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
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18
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85/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 89% Playscore based on |
30,000 Lucky Coins + 4 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
19
|
84/100 Expert rating by Charlie S. 87% Playscore based on |
Up to 1,000 Gems + 50% extra Gems on first purchase
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
20
|
84/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 86% Playscore based on |
2,000,000 Gold Coins + 250 free Sweeps Tokens
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
21
|
83/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 85% Playscore based on |
15,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
4 payment methods
|
|
22
|
83/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 85% Playscore based on |
50,000 Gold Coins + 5 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
|
23
|
82/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 86% Playscore based on |
Up to 5000 Gold Coins + 0.6 Sweepstake Cash and 3 Treasure Chests
|
Play now |
Good to know
10 payment methods
|
|
24
|
82/100 Expert rating by Charlie S. 87% Playscore based on |
250,000 Tao Coins + up to 3,000 FREE Secret Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
25
|
82/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 78% Playscore based on |
7,500 Gold Coins + 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
26
|
80/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 86% Playscore based on |
Daily Free Spins and Credit Bonus
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
27
|
80/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 89% Playscore based on |
250 Game Coins + 5 Sweeps Coins and 600 Diamonds
|
Play now |
Good to know
6 payment methods
|
|
28
|
80/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 85% Playscore based on |
125,000 Fun Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
29
|
80/100 Expert rating by Vule P. 77% Playscore based on |
100,000 Gold Coins + 1 FREE Sweepstakes Coin
|
Play now |
Good to know
4 payment methods
|
|
30
|
78/100 Expert rating by Charlie S. 86% Playscore based on |
100,000 Gold Coins + 50% Super Coins Match Bonus
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
31
|
77/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 79% Playscore based on |
Up to 125,000 Tournament Coins and 300 Promotional Entries
|
Play now |
Good to know
5 payment methods
|
|
32
|
75/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 77% Playscore based on |
250,000 Gold Coins
|
Play now |
Good to know
7 payment methods
|
Mississippi gambling sites by type — what’s legal?
Despite being one of the most welcoming states to retail gambling, lawmakers drafting the Mississippi gaming control act have approached online gambling sites more cautiously. After the state legalized land-based casinos in 1990, Mississippi saw a massive rush of casinos opening up. Now, there are almost 30 in operation. The Magnolia State even legalized sports betting before the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) in 2018.
Having said that, you can’t gamble at Mississippi casinos online, play online poker, play live dealer games or buy lottery tickets online. There are a limited number of online sportsbooks, and using these sites is restricted by location. You can only legally bet in the partner land-based casino of your sportsbook. The minimum gambling age in Mississippi is 21+ for most activities.
| Gambling vertical | Offline legal age | Online legal age | Online since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casinos | 21+ | N/A | N/A |
| Social casinos | N/A | 21+ | N/A |
| Sportsbooks | 21+ | 21+ | September 2021 |
| Social betting apps | N/A | 21+ | N/A |
| Poker | 21+ | N/A | N/A |
| Lottery | 21+ | N/A | N/A |
| Bingo | 18+ | N/A | N/A |
Mississippi online casinos — not yet legal
Are there any legal online gambling sites in Mississippi? No. The Magnolia State may have welcomed dozens of commercial land-based casinos over more than three decades, but the state’s lawmakers aren’t ready to legalize online casinos yet — but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any alternatives and we list them in our dedicated page about the best Mississippi online casinos.
It seemed like the state was very interested at one point when the House Gaming Committee formed the Internet Gaming Taskforce in 2014. The Taskforce was responsible for studying the possibility of an online launch. The results viewed launching Mississippi online gambling negatively, citing technology issues and how rural the state is.
These concerns led the Taskforce to conclude that Mississippi online gambling may not be profitable. There have been more recent attempts to legalize online casinos, but so far, nothing has passed. As states around Mississippi like Louisiana and Tennessee welcome more forms of gambling, we may see the demand to legalize online casinos in the Magnolia State increase.
Mississippi online betting sites — not yet legal
Mississippi gambling laws for sports betting are different than in other jurisdictions. In most states, you can download a sportsbook app and bet from anywhere in the state as long as you are old enough to gamble.
While retail sportsbooks operate at licensed land-based casinos in Mississippi, you can’t place bets online from everywhere. Some MS sportsbooks allow you to download an app to use on the casino’s property. You will need to enable the app to track your device’s location, and you can’t bet once you leave the casino.
Online social casinos in Mississippi
While online casino gambling may not be permitted in Mississippi yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite casino games. You can use online social casinos, like Gambino Slots and BetRivers.net, to play slots and table games. Gambino Slots also provides free online poker you can play against other players. While you won’t make any profit, you can also play these games with no risk to your finances. Many land-based casinos in MS are partnered with a social casino.
Click on any link in this section to play with the best social casinos. We carefully review every site we recommend to ensure it provides various games, good customer support, and top player safety measures. Here are our top social and sweepstakes sites in Mississippi.
Offline gambling in Mississippi
There are 29 land-based casinos spread across the Magnolia State, where you can play slot games, table games, and poker. Many of these land-based casinos also provide retail sportsbooks where you can place bets.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) licenses every commercial casino. There are also some tribal casinos that the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians regulates.
Some casinos were launched back in the early 90s with more and more casinos opening up their doors as recently as 2015. Some of the Mississipi land-based casinos also have an online social casino counterpart.
| Retail | Location | Launch date | Social casino |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterView Casino and Hotel | Vicksburg | 1993 | No |
| Trop Casino Greenville | Greenville | 2012 | No |
| Silver Star Casino | Philadelphia | 1994 | Pearl River Social Casino |
| Silver Slipper Casino | Bay St Louis | 2006 | No |
| Scarlet Pearl Casino and Hotel | D’Iberville | 2015 | No |
| Sam’s Town Casino | Tunica | 1994 | Stardust Social Casino |
| Riverwalk Casino and Hotel | Vicksburg | 2008 | No |
| Palace Casino Resort | Biloxi | 1997 | No |
| Magnolia Bluffs Casino | Natchez | 2012 | No |
| Bally’s Casino | Vicksburg | 1994 | No |
| Isle of Capri Casino and Resort | Lula | 1992 | No |
| Island View Casino Resort | Gulfport | 2006 | No |
| IP Casino Resort Spa | Biloxi | 1997 | Stardust Social Casino |
| Hollywood Casino Tunica | Tunica | 1994 | mychoice casino |
| Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast | Bay St Louis | 1992 | mychoice casino |
| Harrah’s Gulf Coast | Biloxi | 1994 | No |
| Harlow’s Casino Resort | Greenville | 2007 | No |
| Hard Rock Hotel and Casino | Biloxi | 2007 | Hard Rock Social Casino |
| Golden Moon Hotel and Casino | Philadelphia | 2002 | Pearl River Social Casino |
| Gold Strike Casino Resort | Tunica | 1994 | MGM Slots Live – Vegas Casino |
| Fitz Casino Hotel | Tunica | 2001 | No |
| Boomtown Casino | Biloxi | 1994 | mychoice casino |
| Bok Homa Casino | Heidelberg | 2010 | Pearl River Social Casino |
| Ameristar Casino | Vicksburg | 1994 | mychoice casino |
| 1st Jackpot Casino | Tunica | 1993 | mychoice casino |
| Golden Nugget Biloxi Hotel and Casino | Biloxi | 2013 | No |
| Horseshoe Tunica | Tunica | 1995 | No |
| Beau Rivage Resort and Casino | Biloxi | 1999 | MGM Slots Live – Vegas Casino |
How to choose the best Mississippi gambling sites
The final decision on where you gamble online is obviously down to you. But we provide you with as much information as possible so you can make the right choice. Our gambling experts test out every gambling site reviewed on our site and rank each one by categories that are important to players. This includes safety and financial security, a variety of gambling products, and promotions on offer.
Licensing
A gambling site must have the correct licensing from a US state’s regulatory body to operate legally. In Mississippi, this is the MGC. The Commission is responsible for regulating every land-based casino, retail sportsbook, and online sportsbook in the state. Similarly, the MGC also checks that each provides the highest customer security standards. Therefore, you will only find licensed online gambling sites in Mississippi recommended by our experts.
Security
Your safety is one of the most important aspects to consider when gambling online. Alongside checking for relevant licensing, we also see what security measures a gambling site employs, like SSL encryption. We only include safe and reputable gambling sites on our recommended pages.
Products
We’re always looking for gambling sites that offer a wide variety of options. For example, a social casino’s products would be its games. So, when reviewing social casinos, we look for sites that provide the most top-quality games. You can see our recommended social casinos by clicking the link on this page.
Live gambling
Some sites offer you a chance to gamble live, replicating a land-based experience on your desktop or mobile device. In Mississippi, online live gambling only includes live betting on sports, and you must be at your sportsbook’s partner casino to use a betting app for wagering.
Gambling apps
Real money online gambling sites in Mississippi don’t offer apps you can use around the state, but some social casinos provide mobile applications. For our readers who prefer to play on the move, we list the operators that offer apps that provide high-quality gambling experiences optimized for mobiles on this page.
Bonuses
There are tons of excellent legal gambling sites, and some offer bonuses to encourage players to register. Apart from a good welcome bonus make sure to check the type of bonuses available to existing players too. After that, make sure to also look at the terms and conditions for things such as wagering requirements and expiry dates.
Payments
The only type of Mississippi online gambling that accepts payments is sports betting, and you must be on a sportsbook partner’s casino floor to make transactions. You can also deposit money at social and sweeps casinos. We check to ensure the payment methods provided are trusted, safe, and offer fast withdrawals.
Platform
Every gambling site has a different platform that bettors use to place wagers or play casino games. These platforms should be easy to use, even for complete beginners. Our experts try out every gambling site and highly rank those with straightforward navigation and pleasing graphics.
Mississippi gambling and safety
Compared to the rest of the US, Mississippi has unique gambling rules. The state government formed the Mississippi Gaming Commission in 1990 to enforce those regulations. Only gambling operators licensed by the MGC can provide casino games, sports betting, or charitable games in MS. The body is responsible for checking every company that applies for a gambling license sticks to gambling regulations. The MGC also runs background checks on key staff members.
Following Mississippi gambling laws, the Mississippi Gaming Control act currently doesn’t regulate any online casino gambling. The MGC licensed BetMGM and Pearl Rivers Sports to provide online betting within the confines of each operator’s partner casinos.
Mississippi gambling laws through time
The Mississippi gambling market kicked off in 1990 when the state agreed to legalize commercial casinos. Previously, the Magnolia State was only home to tribal casinos. The bill passed in 1990 also legalized bingo, which is now played in many halls around MS. Check out our timeline for more information on the essential Mississippi gambling laws, regulations, and milestones.
BetMGM launches the first mobile sportsbook in Mississippi, but bettors can only use this mobile sportsbook on the property of its land-based casino partners.
The Mississippi Lottery Law passes, and the Mississippi State Lottery is established.
The first retail sportsbooks launch in the state at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino and Gold Strike Casino Resort. BetMGM operates both sportsbooks.
The US Supreme Court strikes down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), giving every state in the US the right to legalize sports betting. The overturning of the act also makes Mississippi’s modifications to the Gaming Control Act official.
HB967 passes to legalize Daily Fantasy Sports in Mississippi. It also modifies several parts of the Gaming Control Act of 1972 to permit sports betting.
The Mississippi House Committee creates the Internet Gaming Taskforce to study online casinos and sports betting gambling.
The Isle of Capri Casino launches the first legal commercial casino in Mississippi.
HB2 passes to enforce Mississippi Gaming Control Act, launching the Mississippi Gaming Commission. This bill also legalizes commercial casinos and charitable gaming in the state.
Mississippi gambling laws — latest updates
The biggest change on the horizon for Mississippi gambling laws is legalizing mobile sports betting. Land-based casinos have resited this change, killing off many proposed bills over the years.
Mississippi’s neighbors Louisiana and Tennessee have now both legalized mobile sports betting. The pressure from these two markets may force MS lawmakers to change their minds on online sports wagering.
- February 2021 — Mississippi hits an overall betting handle of $1 billion.
- September 2021 — BetMGM launches its mobile app in Mississippi. Players can use this by visiting the sportsbook’s partnered casinos.
- February 2022 — Rep. Cedric Burnett introduces HB184 to legalize wagering through “digital platforms”. The bill dies in the House Committee.
FAQs
Is online gambling legal in Mississippi?
Most forms of online gambling aren’t yet legal in Mississippi. You can’t play online casino games, bingo, or lottery online for real money. There are also limited locations where you can place sports bets online, so you can’t wager legally at home. Social and sweepstake casinos are the only form of online casino available in Mississippi as these aren’t classed as gambling.
Is gambling legal in Mississippi?
Yes. You can visit land-based casinos in Mississippi and play slots and table games. Some of these casinos also have retail sportsbooks where you can place bets on professional sports. You can’t play from your home with online casinos or online sportsbooks.
When did sports betting launch in Mississippi?
Mississippi legalized sports betting in 2017 before the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in May 2018. The Magnolia State didn’t need to pass additional legislation to launch retail sports betting in August 2018 at land-based casinos. Limited online sports betting launched in September 2021 as BetMGM provided its app to the state.
Can I place bets with sportsbook apps in Mississippi?
Some sportsbook operators offer mobile apps you can use to bet. You must be within the grounds of the sportsbook’s partnered casino to wager legally in Mississippi. The sportsbook will require access to your geolocation services to verify this.
How old do you have to be to gamble in Mississippi?
To place sports bets or gamble at land-based casinos in Mississippi, you must be 21 years old. You will need a photo ID to enter land-based casinos for gambling and betting. You can play charitable games like bingo if you are 18.
