Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed the state’s new daily fantasy sports bill into law on March 13.
The state passed legislation legalizing DFS in 2016, but last year’s law was a temporary provision that would have expired on July 1, according to Legal Sports Report.
The new law, HB 967 of 2017, legalizes fantasy contests with an entry fee and grants the Mississippi Gaming Commission oversight authority. Operators will pay a licensing fee of $5,000 over three years, and revenue generated in the state will be taxed at 8 percent.
The law also outlines several consumer protections, including banning employee play at operators, establishing 18 as the minimum age for players, and creating rules for securing data and segregating player and operational funds.
The old law allowed sites to register with the state, but did not include a tax or licensing fee.
DFS operators DraftKings, FanDuel, FantasyDraft and Yahoo DFS are expected to register in Mississippi under the new law.
Mississippi is the first state to pass a DFS law in 2017. Last year, eight states (including Mississippi) passed laws legalizing and regulating DFS.
