Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioMississippi is among the states that don’t allow mobile sports betting, but that does not stop college students from placing wagers online. A recent study by the University of Mississippi found that 60% of students who have gambled have placed a bet on a “legal” sportsbook’s website.
The survey did not ask whether the respondents had used an illegal platform. That’s because most students either don’t know or don’t care if the sportsbook is legal, according to Dan Durkin, an associate professor of social work.
Durkin 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.”
Notable Findings
According to the survey, 39% of students said they’ve gambled in the past year. The most common forms were lottery (18%), card games (17%), and sports betting (16%).
Among those who gambled, the most common methods were:
- 32% placing bets through friends or family
- 18% betting in-person at casinos
- 15% using offshore sportsbooks
- 15% betting through illegal bookies
The majority of bettors were categorized as no/low risk in terms of problem gambling. About 10% fell under the “moderate risk” category, and 6% met the criteria for problem gambling. The data coincides with the National Council on Problem Gambling‘s most recent national survey.
Gambling was more common among students who were male, white, lived off-campus, participated in athletics or Greek life, and had higher GPAs.
Most placed a bet on the NFL (62%), followed by college football (53%), men’s college basketball (48%), and the NBA (46%).
The amount spent on betting ranged from $0 to $6,000 per month, with an average of around $100 per month, which aligns with the results of a recent US News & World Report survey.
State-Level Restrictions on College Betting Promotions
College betting has been a growing concern nationwide, prompting several states to ban certain types of wagers and restrict advertising linked to college sports.
New Jersey
New Jersey recently passed a bill that bans all public colleges and universities from partnering with sports betting operators. That includes advertising channels such as at stadiums, digital or broadcast content, and any other channels owned by public universities.
The measure is one part of a larger effort led by New Jersey lawmakers to safeguard young people from the influence of betting. Another measure under consideration is banning all prop bets on college sports.
Illinois
Recently, the Illinois Gaming Board expanded existing restrictions on gambling advertising. They include a ban on ads on college campuses and new requirements to protect the public.
Previously applied only to sports betting, the changes now include casinos and video gaming operators.
Operators must include prominent responsible gaming messages in their advertising, promotions, and marketing materials. Also, they must keep advertising records on file.
Ohio
Since the launch of legalized sports betting in 2023, Ohio has prohibited sports betting marketing on university campuses. The state gambling regulator has been tough with operators, such as Barstool and DraftKings, that have breached the rules, imposing substantial fines.
In 2024, the state also banned collegiate prop betting.
Efforts to Legalize Mobile Sports Betting in Mississippi
While retail sports betting is legal in Mississippi, mobile wagering remains illegal. That’s not due to a lack of effort.
The Mississippi House has passed a mobile sports betting measure in each of the past three years. In February, a proposal to tax mobile wagering revenue at 12% passed with an 88-10 vote. However, as with previous years, it died in the Senate.
The upper chamber has been strongly opposed to mobile sportsbooks, as many Senators fear cannibalization of the retail casino industry.
This year, the divide between the House and Senate also impacted another piece of legislation: a bill to ban sweepstakes casinos. In February, the Senate became the first chamber in the US to pass a ban on sweepstakes casinos.
However, the House amended the bill to include provisions from the failed sports betting bill. As no compromise was reached, the sweepstakes ban bill died.
