Mississippi Legislature OKs law to seize gambling jackpots from parents behind on child support

The Mississippi Legislature on Tuesday passed a bill that would allow state agencies to withhold gambling winnings from people who owe child support, sending the measure to Gov. Tate Reeves, lawmakers said.

The House approved SB 2369 by a 92-22 vote, lawmakers said. The bill, authored by Sen. Walter Michel, R-Ridgeland, authorizes the Mississippi Gaming Commission and the Mississippi Department of Human Services to establish a process to intercept certain gaming payouts from individuals with outstanding child support.

MDHS spokesperson Mark Jones said the agency has pushed for the policy for four years. “This is another measure that MDHS has undertaken to serve families across Mississippi,” Jones said. He added the department appreciated collaboration with the Gaming Commission, the attorney general and the gaming industry.

Federal data show Mississippi collected 53% of court-ordered child support in 2024, compared with a 65% national rate. Supporters, including Senate Gaming Chairman David Blount, D-Jackson, cited state data showing 153,964 children are owed $1.7 billion in past-due support, Blount said.

Lawmakers said the bill targets mostly slot machine payouts reported to the IRS, primarily winnings over $2,000, and explicitly applies to slot machine annuities and sports betting, Sen. Michel said. Similar laws exist in other states; the National Child Support Engagement Association reported that Louisiana intercepted an average of nearly $1 million a year from casinos in the program’s first nine years.

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