Sports wagering revenue and handle in Mississippi both declined year-on-year in January, amid ongoing efforts to legalize online betting in the state.
Player spending for the month amounted to $57.2m, down 14.0% from $66.5m in the same month last year and also 23.1% behind the $74.4m wagered in December 2022.
Turning to revenue, this reached $5.1m during January, representing a 21.5% decline from $6.5m in the corresponding month in 2022 and a 54.9% drop from $11.3m in the final month of last year.
Coastal casinos were again the month successful venues in Mississippi, generating $3.4m in revenue from $37.0m in wagers in January.
Central casinos posted $1.4m in revenue from $11.6m in bets, while revenue from northern casinos stood at $280,482 from an $8.7m handle.
Basketball was the most popular sport to wager on during the month, drawing $22.8m in bets, marginally more than the $22.9m bet on football.
The latest set of monthly results come as players in the state await the fate of a bill that is seeking to legalize online sports betting.
Legal sports betting in Mississippi is currently limited to retail wagering, though the new bill, which progressed to the state’s Senate earlier this month after being passed by the House, would open up a regulated online market.
This marks the fifth attempt by lawmakers to introduce online sports betting in the state. Retail sports betting was made legal in Mississippi in 2018.