Lawmakers in both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature advanced bills this session that would let the state intercept casino and sports-betting winnings from parents delinquent on child support, supporters said.
Federal data show Mississippi had the worst child support collection rate in the nation in 2024, collecting 53% of ordered payments compared with 65% nationally, according to figures cited by lawmakers. Sen. David Blount, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee, said 153,964 children in the state are owed a total of $1.7 billion, based on data he obtained from the Mississippi Department of Human Services that run through Jan. 31.
House Bill 520, authored by Rep. Jay McKnight, a Republican from Diamondhead, specifically targets cash gambling winnings and slot machine annuities and would require casinos to deduct owed child support from a person’s winnings. Senate Bill 2369, authored by Rep. Walter Michael, a Republican from Ridgeland, contains many of the same provisions. The measures also would require the state Gaming Commission to work with MDHS to maintain a database of individuals with outstanding child support.
Blount said the only difference between the House and Senate versions is the process for challenging a withholding. The House bill allows people to challenge the withholding of their winnings in court, while the Senate bill allows people to challenge their status on the MDHS database. “I prefer the Senate bill, I hope they pass the Senate bill, but we want to get this done for the more than $1.5 billion of child support that is owed to the children of the state of Mississippi,” Blount said.
Blount said the proposals would mainly affect slot machine winnings of more than $2,000 because gaming licensees must report those payouts to the Internal Revenue Service. Similar laws exist in other states, including Louisiana, where the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services intercepted an average of nearly $1 million a year from casinos in its first nine years, the National Child Support Engagement Association reported.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
