Another big step forward along the coast for Mississippi sports betting.
It was announced that Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi will begin implementing International Game Technology (IGT)’s PlaySports platform to power retail sports betting at their their flagship CONTACT Lounge and Sportsbook.
Visitors to the CONTACT Lounge and Sportsbook will now have the option to place pre-game or in-play bets at one of four betting counters, or at an IGT PlaySport touchscreen kiosk. Among the offerings, bettors will be able to make wagers on all the major North American professional and collegiate sports — including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA, etc. — as well as pro golf, tennis, horse racing and more.
CONTACT Lounge & Sportsbook More Accessible
Already one of the Gulf Coast’s favorite sports bars, offering over 50 TVs to take in all the action, IGT PlaySports will now make sports betting at CONTACT even more accessible for its clientele.
IGT has been in the gambling space for over 30 years. Founded in London, with offices in Nevada, Rhode Island, and Italy, the gaming company specializes in slot machines and lotteries, but more recently — with sports betting becoming more pervasive across North America — the company has begun tailoring its technology and expertise to sportsbook providers.
Currently, the CONTACT Lounge and Sportsbook at the Palace Casino Resort is one of the approximately two dozen retail locations where sports betting is legal within the state. However, subject to regulatory approval, IGT will also enable on-site mobile sports betting— making it possible to place wagers throughout the resort’s premises.
In theory, this will operate similarly to how bettors can currently use the BetMGM Sportsbook App in Mississippi so long as they are physically located at one of the two MGM-owned casinos in the state.
Where Mobile Sports Betting Stands in Mississippi
For what it’s worth, the back-end software developed by IGT is already used by mobile sportsbooks such as FanDuel to power the user experience. In fact, the PlaySports tech is live in over 30 jurisdictions in North America. And just recently, IGT was awarded “Sportsbook Supplier of the Year” at the 2023 SBC North America Awards, which celebrates achievements in the sports betting and iGaming industry.
As for when mobile sports betting will become available across the state, it’s looking like that won’t come to fruition until at least 2024.
The signing of House Bill 606 last March was a major milestone, but in reality, its only actionable effect is the formation of a task force that’s set to convene sometime this summer, which will subsequently present its findings this December. The expectation, however, is that this will open the door for proper legislation in January of next year.
For the time being though, bettors will be able to visit the sportsbook at Palace Casino Resort for all their sports betting needs.
