Mississippi Senate Votes to Ban Sweepstakes Casinos
The Mississippi Senate has made history by becoming the first US state legislative body to pass a ban on sweepstakes casinos.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:On Tuesday, the Mississippi Senate voted 44-1 to approve a substituted version of Sen. Joey Fillingane’s SB 2510, which aims to ban online sweepstakes and increase penalties for offshore online casinos.
The chamber revisited the bill on Wednesday after a motion to reconsider was filed. However, it was among several measures approved en masse without discussion. The legislation will now be sent to the House of Representatives for further review.
Under the bill, the Mississippi Code of 1972 would be amended to include a statewide ban on sweepstakes gambling platforms, with the specifics of what qualifies as such a platform to be determined.
Additionally, the bill establishes severe consequences for any individual or organization that violates state statutes by operating an unauthorized online casino or similar platform.
The substitute bill specifies that penalties will be levied on a per-incident basis. Individuals or entities found guilty, including operators and promoters, will face felony charges, carrying penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment or fines of up to $100,000.
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Bill Represents Joint Effort
While addressing the floor on Tuesday, Sen. Fillingane highlighted that the bill was developed through a collaborative effort between the Mississippi Gaming Commission and representatives from the state's casino industry.
The senator’s remarks implied a connection between unlicensed offshore online casinos and sweepstakes offerings, citing specific examples such as Bovada, Chumba, Stake, MyBookie, and BetUS.
The MGC has attempted to rein in unauthorized online gaming activities by issuing cease-and-desist letters to offshore operators like Bovada, MyBookie, BetUS, BetWhale, and BetOnline. According to Sen. Fillingane, despite the commission sending a follow-up round of C&D letters in December, none of the recipients have responded to date.
However, Fillingane emphasized that the bill aims to target then online operators who create and manage these platforms rather than penalizing the end users who access them.
Stakes Take Action Against Sweepstakes
As Mississippi pioneers a definitive ban on sweepstakes, other states are also considering legislation to regulate or prohibit these activities.
Legislators in Connecticut and Maryland have proposed bills that would outlaw online sweepstakes-style offerings. Meanwhile, a bill in New Jersey aims to establish a regulatory framework for the industry.
RELATED TOPICS: Regulation
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