Is crypto sports betting legal in Mississippi?

What's legal

Mississippi took its first legal sports bets on August 1, 2018, at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi and the Gold Strike in Tunica, after the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban in May 2018. Sports pools and race books operate under the Gaming Control Act, Miss. Code Ann. 75-76-1 and following. The minimum age is 21.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission regulates the market. Casinos, mainly on the Gulf Coast and along the Mississippi River, run the sportsbooks, and tribal casinos operate under compacts with the state. Some casinos offer phone apps, but a Commission rule keeps mobile gaming inside the casino property, and parking areas do not count. The app does not work from home, and no statewide online sportsbook is licensed.

Crypto and offshore sites

Casino sportsbooks take payment on site, and crypto is not a normal way to fund a sports bet there. Holders usually sell coins for dollars first.

Online sportsbooks that take Mississippi players are unlicensed. In June 2025 the Gaming Commission sent cease-and-desist letters to multiple online sports betting and casino sites, citing the state criminal gambling law, the state racketeering act and federal laws including the Wire Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Its executive director said the Commission would pursue domestic and offshore operators, and the notice warned that players could face prosecution and forfeiture of money deposited. The Commission publishes a list of unlicensed sites on its website. No offshore crypto sportsbook is licensed in any US state.

What's changing

In 2026 the House passed HB 1581 on February 4. It would have created a Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act. The Senate referred it to its Finance and Gaming committees on February 16, and the legislature's record shows it died in committee on March 3. A separate bill, SB 2104, would have extended the state's gaming law to online and computerized versions of gambling and raised penalties. It passed the Senate, then died in a House committee the same day.

Tax on winnings

Mississippi taxes income, including gambling winnings, at 4 percent on taxable income above $10,000 for tax year 2026, according to the Department of Revenue. Federal tax applies on top. Keep records of wins and losses and ask a tax professional about your own return.

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