Another bill banning sweepstakes casinos has cleared a hurdle in the 2026 legislative session.
In Mississippi, the Senate Judiciary, Division B Committee amended Senate Bill 2104 and recommended it move to the next step of the state’s legislative process on Wednesday. That next step is not known yet, but SB2104 has officially advanced past its first committee.
And the amendment is significant — not in terms of major changes for sweeps casinos, like Indiana’s House Bill 1052 reducing penalties for sweeps casinos from criminal charges to civil, but rather for any entities that may be in some way connected to operations of offending sweeps gaming sites in Mississippi.
Reviewing how SB2104 targets sweeps casinos in Mississippi
First of all, here’s how the bill directly impact sweepstakes casinos.
In section 2, language stipulates any device that plays a sweeps casino game would be considered a gambling device:
Any online, interactive, or computerized version of any game as defined in Section 75-76-5(k) or any other game of chance or digital simulation thereof, including, but not limited to, online race books, online sports pools, and online sweepstakes casino-style games, is hereby declared to be a gambling device, and the offering for play or operating an online or interactive platform that offers for play such games within the State of Mississippi shall be deemed unlawful under the provisions of this section.
Then, lower, in section 3, SB2104 officially states:
“[O]nline sweepstakes casinos” are illegal gambling activities under state law.
SB2104 also extends criminal liability to anyone who promotes an online sweepstakes casino. The bill imposes penalties of up to $100,000 in fines, as well as potential prison sentences of up to 10 years and forced removal of assets. (Translation: We’ll take back the revenue you made in our state, thank you very much.)
What the committee changed via SB2104 amendments
There are two significant changes in the current version of SB2104 compared to the original version filed back on Jan. 9.
First of all, a new subsection was added to section 2 — which now lumps sweeps casinos into the “gambling device” category — that’s designed to protect entities such as internet service providers, cable companies, or streaming services from themselves being liable for a computer or smart TV, for example, being used for illegal gambling.
Specifically, the new language exempts:
- A provider of internet access service, cable service, telecommunications service, or video service … that merely transmits, routes, or provides connections for content without selecting, controlling, or modifying such content
- A provider of cable service or video programming that displays sports scores, statistics, betting odds, or other informational content as part of an entertainment or news programming service
- Equipment provided by such service providers
In addition, the amended version of SB2104 contains an entirely new statutory section that dives deeper into protections and creates “safe harbor” for these companies whose services may be used in the process of a customer playing on an illegal sweeps casino — thus, making the device technically an illegal gambling device.
Again, this new section specifically insulates internet service providers and cable companies from criminal charges, but also entities like app stores. The protections for these companies apply to actions including:
- Carrying content created by third parties
- Showing betting lines or data only as a secondary feature
- Having listings for certain platforms in an app store
- Offering purely free-to-play social games with no redemption opportunities
However, the new section also specifically highlights when that safe harbor would be lost and the entity could be held criminally liable. Those situations include if the entity:
- Accepts bets directly
- Knows a platform is illegal and still promotes it
- Gets any share of revenue from that platform
The language in this amendment is similar to language added via amendment to California Assembly Bill 831, which sought to guard entities from unwittingly aiding illegal sweeps operators by adding “knowingly and willfully” to this section:
It is unlawful for any entity, financial institution, payment processor, geolocation provider, gaming content supplier, platform provider, or media affiliate to knowingly and willfully support directly or indirectly the operation, conduct, or promotion of an online sweepstakes game within this state.
Interestingly, the amendments to Mississippi SB2104 make no mention of payment processors or financial institutions.
Various operators have already pulled Sweeps Coin gameplay from Mississippi
Mississippi’s efforts to ban sweepstakes casinos actually began in 2025, when the Senate approved a ban bill — Senate Bill 2510 — but it stalled out when the House added an amendment legalizing sports betting, which, ultimately, led to its failure.
Still, state regulators signaled a hard-lined stance toward sweepstakes operations when the Mississippi Gaming Commission issued a cease-and-desist order to Chumba Casino in June.
Since then, various platforms — including all sites under VGW, the owner of Chumba Casino — pulled their Sweeps Coin gaming options from Mississippi or left the state entirely.
