Maryland, Mississippi Advance Legislation to Ban Sweeps Casinos

Both Maryland and Mississippi lawmakers have advanced bills in their states to outlaw sweepstakes casinos, and they both seemingly have significant support with one caveat in the Magnolia State. 

This comes after a lawmaker in New Jersey proposed legislation to legalize sweepstakes casinos only to backtrack a couple of months later and introduce new legislation to ban them. 

Examining Mississippi’s Bill

The bill in Mississippi, Senate Bill 2510, passed through its House of Representatives with ease. The final vote was 83-19. 

This came after a 51-0 vote in the Senate. 

The bill, if passed, would update the Mississippi Code of 1972 to include online sweepstakes casino games. 

Sen. Joey Fillingane introduced the bill. 

Before it was passed in the House, Rep. Casey Eure amended it to include the legalization of sports betting. 

This would include each retail casino receiving two “skins” to partner with an online sportsbook, though no taxes have been mentioned. 

However, casinos in the state, such as PENN Entertainment and Churchill Downs, are opposing the legislation. 

A letter to lawmakers, which was published in the newspaper, and from those opposing the bill said, “state-wide expansion of gaming, with no local referendums, putting a casino in the hands of every person in Mississippi, no matter where they are located … This is not the right vision for gaming in Mississippi.”

Sen. David Blount wasn’t happy about linking this bill to sports betting, saying, “to link bills together when the topics are not related to each other, to me, is not the way the legislature should work.”

Mississippi rejected proposals, including Eure’s House Bill 1302, to legalize sports betting in the past, but now the bill is in the Senate. That bill was shot down with an 88-10 vote. 

They have through March 21 to decide what to do with it. 

If passed, the violation for sweepstakes casinos would increase from a misdemeanor to a felony, along with a fine of up to $100,000 and up to 10 years in prison. 

Maryland’s Bill SB 860 and HB 1140

Maryland’s SB 860 was passed on its third reading this week with a unanimous 47-0 vote. The bill has now moved to the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. 

Sen. Paul Corderman’s legislation would prohibit “a person from operating, conducting, or promoting online sweepstakes games.”

HB 1140, which has the same language, is also awaiting a committee vote, while SB 860 will be heard on March 20. 

Penalties would include a misdemeanor charge, up to three years in prison, and fines of $10,000 to $100,000.