Mississippi students bet online despite ban, according to study

The Mississippi Capitol Building in downtown Jackson

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Nearly 60% of Mississippi college students who gambled in the past year reported placing online bets with ‘legal’ sportsbooks, despite mobile sports betting being prohibited in the state.

According to a survey of 1,600 respondents by the University of Mississippi, many bypass restrictions through tools such as virtual private networks.

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Approximately 32% said they used friends or family to place bets, while smaller portions reported betting in person at casinos, using offshore sportsbooks, or with illegal bookies.

Dan Durkin, an associate professor of social work and study co-author at the University of Mississippi, told Mississippi Today, “Our students are showing similar patterns to those identified by the NCAA and seen nationally, including that legality doesn’t make a difference with college students.”

Researchers revealed that between 4,700 and 6,400 students at Mississippi’s public universities face serious gambling issues, with up to 30% potentially developing a gambling disorder.

The study also found that 10% of student bettors had a moderate risk for problem gambling, and 6% met the criteria for problem gambling.

Mississippi permits sports betting only in person at casinos or via mobile apps while on casino property. Durkin said any legalization should include funding for addiction treatment through gambling tax revenues.

The recent study follows cease-and-desist orders issued by the state’s gambling regulator, the Mississippi Gaming Commission, in June to illegal online gambling operators.

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