David Blount
State Senator (District 29) and Chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee
David Blount is a Democratic member of the Mississippi State Senate, representing District 29 since 2008. He chairs the Senate Gaming Committee, giving him direct oversight of all gambling-related legislation in the state. Before entering politics, Blount served as Communications Director for the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. He attended the University of Virginia and Davidson College.
In the Senate, Blount also serves on the Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency Committee; Appropriations; Education (as Vice-Chairman); Elections; Finance; Government Structure; Highways and Transportation; Medicaid; and Public Health and Welfare committees. He is known for his cautious approach to expanding online sports betting, repeatedly citing studies that warn of net revenue losses when combined with proposed tax cuts for land-based casinos. Blount has consistently blocked House-passed mobile sports betting bills, arguing they would undermine brick-and-mortar casino revenues and the state's tax base.
Blount's stance on mobile sports betting has made him a central figure in the ongoing debate over iGaming expansion in Mississippi. He has emphasized the need to protect the existing casino industry, which is a major economic driver in the state. In 2026, he stated that an online sports betting proposal had little support in the Senate and would cost the casino industry millions. He is running for re-election in 2027.