Best Online Casinos in Mississippi

The 32nd largest and the 34th most populous U.S. state, Mississippi is also the poorest one. With a very modest income per capita of $23,434 (as of 2018), it could try to improve the abysmal state of affairs by establishing a legal and free online gambling market, but for some reason – be it the inability to come up with an effective set of laws or the conservativeness itself – Mississippi is missing online gambling regulations, and even some brick-and-mortar types of gambling – horse and dog races, for example – are unavailable.

The good news is, though, that 2018 might become the watershed moment for gambling in Mississippi. The legalization of sports betting and the introduction of the national lottery make us believe that the Magnolia State has finally started to move in the right direction.

Laws Affecting Online Gambling in Mississippi

There are no online casinos based in Mississippi since the state forbids local brick-and-mortar casinos to provide their services online. However, even though online games are generally believed to be unavailable to Mississippians, you can freely play at offshore online casinos from the territory of the state. How is that possible? Well, the trick is that there are no Mississippi online gambling laws as such, meaning there are no legal grounds for limiting your freedom of choice. In fact, you can act up to your knowledge – that is, depending on your own interpretation of the existing laws.

To our knowledge, neither the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) itself (the body that regulates gambling in the state), nor the Gaming Control Act (the main document on gambling in Mississippi), nor other MGC regulations establish any legal framework for online gambling, which is why – answering the burning question 'is online gambling legal in Mississippi' – it's only logical to assume that you cannot be punished for playing at international online casinos. No such cases have ever been registered.

Sports Betting in Mississippi

One of the most anticipated changes in the gambling life of Mississippi happened in 2018. House Bill 967 passed to legalize sports betting in addition to the legalization of the state lottery the same year. The path to the legalization of sports betting was thorny, though: the first vote on the bill failed in the Mississippi House of Representatives – 53 'nays' made betting enthusiasts wonder if sports betting would ever be legalized – but only to make the following-day vote successful, 92 'for' vs. 22 'against.'

Since the legalization of sports betting on August 1, 2018, the total amount of money wagered on sports has exceeded $500 million, including about $60 million paid in taxes. Truth be told, that that is only a tiny fraction of what the state could have gotten if it hadn't been for the absence of regulations on online sports betting.

As of now, 'Internet sports betting' is reduced to wagering through the apps at the sports betting locations. If the limitation were to be lifted, Mississippi could soar in terms of sports betting revenues and the number of active bettors as well. Meanwhile, the only visible solution to online sports betting is international sportsbooks.

Getting Help for Problem Gambling in Mississippi

The sole in-state provider of services on problem gambling in Mississippi is the Mississippi Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling (the Council), but it is not funded by the national agencies the way it's done in some other states. Instead, the Council uses the donations from the independent Mississippi casinos to support a public helpline (1-888-777-9696), educational programs, and training services for problem gamblers and their families. The fact sheet on problem gambling services in Mississippi is available by the link.

In addition, there are nationwide resources that you can reach for help:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-522-4700, chat: ncpgambling.org/chat.

• Gamblers Anonymous, an experience-sharing fellowship fighting gambling addiction and gambling-related problems.

• Gam-Anon, a self-help organization for compulsive gamblers.

• GamTalk, an online support forum.

The best help is, though, your consciousness in the USA online gambling field, and awareness of the possible unfavorable consequences of excessive gambling.

While online gambling in Mississippi is not officially recognized, its land-based counterpart is doing just fine. There are about three dozen casinos in Mississippi, including the venues led by the Native American tribes. The territory of the state is huge, though, so you might not have too many options to choose from. Nevertheless, there are three casinos that we strongly recommend you to attend – Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi, and Golden Nugget Biloxi Hotel & Casino, each one with the full range of games and the utmost level of customer service.

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

Owned and operated by MGM Resorts International, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino is a first-class waterfront venue in Biloxi with 72,000 square feet of gambling space and thousands of slots and table games, let alone countless amenities. The 1,700-room casino opened on March 15, 1999 – the largest hotel & casino of the time – and was renovated in 2006 to recover from the damage made by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. The hurricane, though, played another important role in the life cycle of the venue: it triggered the transformation of barge casinos into coastal ones located within 800 feet of the shore.

• Slots. Over 1,800 hottest slots, including 500 progressive machines, represent the well-known titles and the newest, unexplored ones. Needless to say that the flexible range of denominators along with the all-encompassing thematic palette of games makes it virtually impossible to leave the gambling floor dissatisfied.

• Table games. Traditional table games operated by friendly dealers are just what you need to plunge into the atmosphere of thrilling anticipation of big wins. The range of table games includes blackjack, baccarat, poker, and all possible variations of the mentioned.

Last but not least, the casino employs a poker room and a high-limit lounge, the two venues for the most dedicated players.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi can boast of a remarkable history. The Biloxi-based venue was scheduled to open on September 1, 2005, but notorious Katrina destroyed the site to its foundation, postponing its opening for two years. On June 30, 2007, the casino finally opened to provide its visitors with all imaginable games except for sports betting, which remained banned at the time. The ceremony was led by Kid Rock, the first in a series of memorable performances that would also feature Cheap Trick, Ratt, 3 Doors Down, and Poison.

• Slots. The range of over 1,200 slots lists progressive and regular titles, including the newest ones – Dragon Line, Playboy Hot Shot, Ultimate Fire Link, Fortune Coin, and many others.

• Table games. As many as 50 tables employ all familiar table games, from roulette to poker, as well as progressive titles.

• Sports betting. The local sportsbook takes wagers on college sports, NHL, golf, and baseball. You can follow the changes in the betting odds on 30 large flat-screen TVs and pick the type of wager you are comfortable with (parlays, futures, money line, point spread winds, etc.).

Golden Nugget Biloxi Hotel & Casino

Whether you are destined to find a golden nugget at the premises of Golden Nugget Biloxi Hotel & Casino is beyond what you can know, but what you can rely on at this classy venue are tons of thrilling emotions with your favorite slots & table games. Day or night, life at Golden Nugget Biloxi Hotel & Casino is bubbling. A few restaurants – Michael Patrick's Sport Café, The Buffet, Lillie's Asian Cuisine – and steakhouses cater mouth-watering dishes for all types of events and to satisfy your hunger all day long, whereas vivacious night shows plug you into the never-ending power source at night.

• Slots. Whether you have a penny or thousands of dollars with you, it doesn't matter: the overarching range of denominators enables fun regardless of the depth of your pocket. Play as much as you want at one or several of 1,159 slots and exchange the bonus points – you earn those while playing – for real money and perks.

• Table games. Be it high winnings odds or low limits that you crave, one of the following games might appeal to you: blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and baccarat, or modifications of any of the mentioned. Try it out!

• Sportsbook. Round-the-clock betting kiosks accept bets on college and professional sports while 50 high-res TVs inform you about the live changes in odds. Bide your time and catch your luck by the tail.