Poker in Mississippi: Laws, Live Rooms, and WSOP 2026 Events
Mississippi has an active casino business and the laws regarding poker vary greatly depending on where and how the game is played. For example, live poker is totally legal for anybody 21 years old or over in the state of Mississippi at their licensed casinos — the Gulf Coast strip and riverboat venues have a combined amount of over 30 gaming properties with live poker games. This portion of the market is established and functioning under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act of 1990.
On the other hand, online poker is a completely different story. Internet gambling is currently illegal by virtue of state law. Although playing on offshore websites technically constitutes a misdemeanor; there is little to no enforcement by the authorities against the average player.
As of 2026, only six states — Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan — have enacted comprehensive legislation to legalize/authorize online poker and have the regulatory framework in place to enforce it.
However, Mississippi is part of the majority of states that have chosen not to do so; and, based on the current legislative agenda, that does not appear likely to occur anytime soon. Therefore, for citizens of Mississippi wishing to engage in online poker in compliance with applicable federal/state laws, there is only one option: go to a casino and sit down at a live poker table.
The Largest Poker Tournament of All Time – WSOP 2026 – Has Begun!
The 57th annual World Series of Poker started on May 26 at its traditional home at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas and continues until July 15. The world champion crown ($10,000 NLH world championship) starts July 2 and will serve as the main focus point of the entire summer.
There are several significant structural changes planned for this year’s event. The first is the return of the “delayed final table.” After the field has narrowed down to the last 9 players on July 13, they will come back on Aug. 3, after which the champion will be crowned on Aug. 5. This format is intended to give maximum television exposure due to a new multi-year agreement with ESPN. The decision to implement this format was directly related to ESPN’s former agreement to broadcast the November Nine era of the WSOP for many years.
There are 100 bracelet events scheduled during the WSOP 2026. Two of these new events include the $250k super high roller event held on June 13 (one of the largest entry fees of WSOP 2026) and the Mini Mystery Millions event held on a lower buy-in level ($550) but with a $1m bounty prize guarantee. This represents a unique chance for lower-bankroll players to compete for a seven-figure mystery bounty. Players that typically compete in online poker tournaments can continue doing so throughout the year via sites such as Stake.com Poker.
What Did the 2025 WSOP Reveal About Where the Game Is Going?
The 2025 WSOP had 100 live bracelet events spread over an area of over 150,000 square feet in gaming space at the Horseshoe and Paris properties.
Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi took down the Main Event for $10 million. The 2025 WSOP Main Event attracted 9,735 entries. The total amount paid out in prizes exceeded $90 million; the largest number of entries for a WSOP Main Event since 2012 and the third-largest overall.
Shaun Deeb captured the Player of the Year Award. The race for Player of the Year came down to a few points between Deeb and Benny Glaser.
In addition to growing in size, the WSOP began enforcing strict rules regarding electronic devices such as charts, apps, solver software and any other AI tool used by players and spectators. These restrictions follow the controversy surrounding the use of poker solvers at the 2024 Main Event final table. One player’s support group was accused of using poker solvers when competing against each other in heads up play.
Additionally, the 2025 Online World Series of Poker (WSOP) paid out nearly $30 million and saw more than 50,000 entrants. The growth in popularity of digital formats has paralleled the growth in the live game.
The WSOP Has Created New Partnerships and Growth Plans Beyond Las Vegas
To expand its global reach, the 2026 WSOP will have a new partner, the Asian Poker Tour (APT), which is sponsored by Natural8. The partnership includes branded content from APT on select livestreamed WSOP events as well as guest commentators from APT on broadcast coverage.
As for the Circuit, beginning next year, all Circuit events will be based on a calendar year schedule. In fact, The next listed WSOP Circuit stop at Horseshoe Casino Tunica is scheduled for August 20–31 and will allow players in Mississippi who do not want to travel to Las Vegas a chance to participate in a WSOP-branded event.
Hustler Casino Live will also bring a new experience this summer. On June 12, they will host a Million-Dollar Game at the WSOP location. This type of crossover between the poker streaming world and the live poker tournament circuit reflects where fans of the game have migrated.
For Mississippi Poker Players: The Reality
The state’s casino industry is strong – Gulf Coast casinos and riverboat casinos provide many years worth of history supporting a thriving card room culture.
Circuit main events are generally offered with $1,700 buy-in costs and offer entry to the WSOP Global Casino Championship.
The current regulatory landscape does not appear to be changing anytime soon. While Mississippi’s legislative body seems to be reluctant to pass legislation permitting internet gambling, it appears to be just as unwilling to permit an agreement that would allow commercial casinos to create an online environment for their customers. Players looking for updates should continue to check for announcements from the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
