VendingData Receives Mississippi Gaming License
The Mississippi Legislature legalized dockside casino gambling with the passage of the Mississippi Gaming Control Act in 1990 in a Special Legislative Session. By 1994, the State was generating well over $1 billion in annual casino gross gaming revenues, crossing the $2.5 billion mark in 1999 and holding steady at approximately that level over the past 6 years. Prior to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Mississippi was recognized as the nation's third largest casino market behind Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Mississippi is rapidly rebuilding its casino industry, following the devastation of all 12 of the floating casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005. Three of the Gulf Coast casinos are now operating and are reporting property gaming revenues double pre-Katrina levels, 7 additional casinos are expected to open by year end and many new casinos are planned. New state legislation was passed in October 2005 legalizing land-based casinos in the state for the first time, permitting casinos within 800 feet of the shoreline, rather than limiting the gaming halls to barges. Among the announced plans for casinos are: Beau Rivage, Boomtown, Hollywood Casino (Bay St. Louis), Grand Casino(Biloxi), Treasure Bay, Silver Slipper, Bali Hai Casino & Resort, Gulfport Oasis Casino, Bacarran Bay Casino, Foxwoods, Hard Rock and many others.
As of April 2006, 20 casinos are operating in the State of Mississippi with approximately 627 gaming tables and 97 poker tables generating year-to-date revenues as of April 30, 2006 of approximately $840 million.
June 17, 2006
Posted By Susan Torres
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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