Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has signed into law House Bill 606, which mandates a task force to study the legislative options of expanding mobile sports betting and/or online casino statewide.

Monday’s news of Reeves’ signature on HB 606 means that a combination of iGaming — digital casino and sports — or just one of either mobile sports or online casino betting, could be on the 2024 Mississippi legislative agenda.

HB 606 sailed through the House and Senate in February

After some major adjustments, HB 606 sailed through the House and Senate in February. The bill offers Mississippians hope of placing sports bets without needing to drive to a retail casino, the only places where bettors can currently wager. The existing law allows them to bet at a physical sportsbook or via geofenced apps on casino properties. The southern state was, however, one of the first in the US to legalize sports betting back in May 2018.

Following the Governor’s ink, HB 606 mandates a task force to “undertake a comprehensive analysis of all matters related to legalizing online betting and iGaming.”?The bill’s enactment date is July 1, with the 13-member task force to be appointed within 30 days and hold its first meeting within 60 days of that.