For the third consecutive year, Mississippi lawmakers are debating the legalization of mobile sports betting, with House leaders proposing a new financial hook: using tax revenue to rescue the state’s struggling pension system.
House Gaming Committee Chairman Casey Eure is championing a bill that would funnel all online wagering proceeds directly into the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), which currently faces $26 billion in unfunded liabilities.
Eure argues the move is about safety as much as money. “By legalizing mobile sports betting, we can eliminate much of the illegal market… and provide real consumer safeguards in a regulated environment,” Eure stated. He estimates the market could generate up to $80 million annually.
Senate Skepticism: “Infinitesimal” Impact
However, the proposal faces stiff resistance in the Senate. Senate Gaming Chairman David Blount remains unconvinced, citing lower revenue projections of around $30 million and the massive scale of the pension debt. “If we legalized mobile sports betting tomorrow, it would take more than 1,000 years to pay off the unfunded liability in the retirement system,” Blount argued. “The amount of money that we’re talking about is infinitesimal compared to the $26 billion unfunded liability”.
The Prediction Market Wildcard
Blount also pointed to the rise of unregulated prediction markets as a threat to potential tax yields. He contends these platforms have “essentially legalized nationwide mobile betting,” drastically reducing the revenue state regulators can capture.
“Whatever amount of money was promised last year, that number is reduced, maybe greatly reduced,” Blount warned. As the 2026 session proceeds, the fate of mobile betting in Mississippi hangs on whether the House can convince the Senate that regulating the existing black market is worth the effort, even if it doesn’t solve the pension crisis.
