A Second Attempt
The bill, Senate Bill 2104, is sponsored by Sen. Joey Fillingane and Sen. David Blount, two lawmakers who have been trying to shut down sweepstakes-style gaming for over a year.
In 2025, Mississippi’s Senate actually became the first legislative chamber in the country to approve a sweepstakes ban. That effort died later, not because of sweepstakes themselves, but because the House attached a controversial amendment to legalize online sports betting. The combined package fell apart.
This time, lawmakers are taking no chances. There’s no extra baggage. No sports betting. No side deals. Just a straight ban.
What the Bill Targets
SB 2104 updates Mississippi’s definition of an illegal gaming device to include “online sweepstakes casino-style games.”
The bill doesn’t get lost in technical language about gold coins, sweeps coins, or bonus mechanics. Instead, it focuses on the outcome: online platforms that function like casinos but aren’t licensed.
That means slot-style games, table games, and other casino-style offerings that lawmakers believe shouldn’t exist online in Mississippi, regardless of how they’re packaged.
It’s a broad approach, and that appears intentional.
Felonies, Not Slaps on the Wrist
Here’s where Mississippi separates itself from the pack.
Under SB 2104, sweepstakes enforcement wouldn’t stop at warnings or letters:
- Running an illegal online sweepstakes casino would be a felony
- Promoting one would also be a felony
- Penalties could include up to 10 years in prison
- Fines could climb as high as $100,000
This goes far beyond cease and desist. It’s criminal law, and Mississippi is trying to stop sweepstakes instead of regulating behavior.
Regulators Have Already Been Warming Up
After last year’s bill collapsed, the Mississippi Gaming Commission (MGC) took matters into its own hands. In June, the agency sent cease-and-desist letters to several operators, including Chumba Casino, Bovada, and BetUS.
VGW, the company behind Chumba, later pulled Sweeps Coin play from Mississippi.
That sequence matters. Mississippi tried enforcement first. Now it’s moving to lock the door with legislation.
Sweepstakes Grouped With Offshore Casinos
During last year’s debate, Sen. Fillingane openly grouped sweepstakes casinos with offshore gambling sites. This comparison that didn’t sit well with operators, who argue they operate legally under U.S. promotional law.
But Mississippi lawmakers don’t seem persuaded.
From their perspective, sweepstakes casinos and offshore sportsbooks occupy the same space: unlicensed gambling that lives online and outside state rules.
SB 2104 reflects that view.
No Fine Print, No Escape Hatches
One of the most striking parts of the bill is what it doesn’t include.
There’s no detailed breakdown of sweepstakes mechanics. No carve-outs for dual-currency systems. No attempt to define what’s “social” versus “real money.”
Mississippi is taking a blunt approach. If an online platform facilitates illegal wagering, it’s out. Full stop.
That simplicity matters. The less wiggle room in the language, the harder it is for operators to repackage or relabel their way around the law.
Part of a Bigger 2026 Push
Mississippi isn’t acting alone.
So far in 2026:
- Indiana is debating whether to ban or regulate sweepstakes
- Maine has scheduled committee hearings on a ban
- Florida has introduced bills targeting unregulated online gaming
- Virginia tied sweepstakes bans to a proposed iGaming expansion
After a wave of bans in 2025, this year is shaping up to be about closing the remaining doors.
What Happens Next
SB 2104 has been sent to the Senate Judiciary Division B Committee, which just happens to be chaired by Fillingane himself. That gives the bill a clear runway to move forward.
If it passes, Mississippi would become one of the toughest states in the country for sweepstakes-style gaming, not because of complex regulations, but because of criminal penalties.
The state has already tried warnings. It followed up with enforcement. Now it’s raising the stakes.
Blaise Luis
