Mississippi egaming bill dead
Egaming bill introduced after DoJ's Wire Act clarification rejected by state committee.
The online gambling bill introduced by Representative Bobby Moak in Mississippi was killed after it failed to secure a three-fifths majority at committee stage.
HB 1373, the Mississippi Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2012, aimed to establish a system in which applicants would be charged a non-refundable deposit of US$100,000 to be considered for a licence, which if awarded would cost $200,000.
Moak had proposed that licensed operators would also pay $100,000 a year to the State General Fund and a further $100,000 annual levy to the Mississippi Gaming Commission Fund “ created under the terms of regulation “ to be used to combat criminal activity. The bill also proposed a tax rate of 5% on gross revenues.
In addition, a penalty fee of $50,000 for those found guilty of tampering with online games was set.
The bill was referred to the gaming, and ways and means committees on 20 February, having been introduced following the Department of Justice’s clarification on the Wire Act, but was rejected at committee stage on 6 March, and is now considered dead.