Although Mississippi residents do not lack options when it comes to gambling, it is a good idea to get familiar with the laws that surround the wagering world. Understanding gambling laws in Mississippi will actually open up new playing possibilities that you might not have known existed. For instance, sports betting was once illegal throughout most of America, but there are now more legal sports wagering options than ever before. Getting a grip on the complicated law language is well worth your time, and we have made it easy by translating the dense literature into easy-to-read chunks.
This article will explain the federal and state laws that surround gambling and the use of legal gambling sites for Mississippi residents. There are many options out the for Mississippi players, and after reading this article you will become aware of some fun new ways to play.
The Mississippi state gambling laws are some of the most lenient in the nation. Numerous casinos in the state offer high-limit gambling opportunities. Biloxi has long been one of the premier cities that gamblers from all over the nation travel to every year. We will go over the sections of the law that pertain to the average gambler in Mississippi.
MS HB 967 - The legislation legalizes fantasy sports within the state. More importantly, the law removes prohibitions against sports wagering within the state. Per state law, casinos can offer sports betting.
§ 87-1-1 - This section seeks to stifle illicit gambling. Both as a means of protecting state sanctioned casinos and ensuring that organized crime does not run rampant throughout the state, Mississippi has a great interest in putting illicit gambling to an end. However, this law does not apply to players who use lawful outlets to gamble. Whether you’re as a casino in Biloxi or using a legal gambling site from your very own home, you will be safe from harm from Mississippi law enforcement agencies.
§ 87-1-5 - This section protects against legal gambling establishments ripping players off. It is allowable to sue the company, person, or owner of the venue in which the crime takes place. Mississippi protects its citizens very well when it comes to gambling.
§ 97-33-1 - This section bans illegal gambling activity in unlicensed venues. Plainly put, the state has the option to bust any unlawful gambling activity they catch sight of. If you are planning to play for money in the state, make sure you do it at licensed casinos or legal online wagering sites.
§ 97-33-5 - This gives further incentive to avoid illegal gambling. The state can add an additional fine to the winner of a game by charging them the amount won, plus the $500 for committing the crime.
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Wire Act – The first major law to regulate gambling was the Wire Act of 1961. During the early 20th century, organized crime became a major presence in the gambling world. The Wire Act criminalizes the use of wire communication devices involved with gambling, one of the major tools used by the underworld for racketeering and stealing money. The Wire Act successfully squashed much of the criminal activity involved with gambling.
PASPA – The first big law to impact sports betting was the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), which is no longer applicable. Congress found sports wagering to be a “national problem”, and the PASPA criminalizes it in every state except for Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that PASPA infringed on the rights of each state and the law was deemed unconstitutional. As such, each state can now choose whether or not to allow sports gambling.
UIGEA – The rise of online wagering brought many new problems to the American gambling landscape. In the early 2000’s, it seemed that for every new legit gambling site, three or so illegal sites would pop up. These sites stole customers’ money, extorted gamblers, and parlayed with the mafia. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 put a stop to it all by illegalizing the facilitation of online gambling sites across the nation. This resulted in very few online wagering sites in the US, but an influx of offshore online betting sites. These legal Mississippi gambling sites offer the best in online gambling, and are free to sign up. Keep in mind that this law only impacts offshore betting sites, which means that state-licensed online sportsbooks are not effected.
The gambling age in Mississippi is 21. Many of the online gambling sites only require players to be 18, but it is wise to follow the state law when signing up. The penalties for underage gambling are harsh, and easily avoidable. Always go with the age that your home state mandates when looking to gamble without incident.
The State of Mississippi has many laws in place to protect citizen gamblers and its revenue stream provided by regulated gambling operations. The state thinks of gambling as an American pastime and a healthy tradition. By having regulated land-based gambling in the state, Mississippi keeps its citizens safe and provides a financial future for one of the least affluent states in the Union with legal gambling for Mississippi players.
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