Maryland and Mississippi Move Forward with Laws to Ban Sweepstakes Gaming
Sweepstakes gaming faces significant legislative pushback in Maryland and Mississippi as both states advance bills to ban these operations.
The Maryland Senate unanimously passed SB 860 with a 47-0 vote, moving to prohibit online sweepstakes gaming and casinos. The bill includes penalties of $10,000 to $100,000 in fines and up to three years imprisonment for violations. It advances to the House Ways and Means Committee for a March 20 hearing.
The legislation specifically targets games that:
- Use dual-currency payment systems
- Simulate casino-style games (slots, poker, table games)
- Mimic lottery games (draw games, keno, bingo)
- Simulate sports betting
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In Mississippi, the situation is more complex. While the Senate initially approved SB 2510 to ban sweepstakes gaming with a 44-1 vote, the House added language to legalize online sports betting. This addition complicates the bill's prospects, as the Senate has shown resistance to online sports betting expansion due to concerns about impact on physical casinos.
Both amended Senate bills (SB 2381 and SB 2510) passed the House with strong support:
- SB 2381: 107-3 vote
- SB 2510: 83-19 vote
Maryland's ban appears more likely to succeed, while Mississippi's efforts face uncertainty due to the added sports betting provisions. The Maryland legislation also empowers the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to deny or revoke gaming licenses for operators involved in sweepstakes gaming.
State regulators argue these sweepstakes operations effectively function as unregulated, untaxed gambling enterprises despite claiming to be legitimate contests.