- Mississippi casinos saw a reported gross gaming revenue of $2,669,247,245 in 2021.
- This is the most grossed since 2008 as over $2 billion came from the Gulf Coast casinos alone.
JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi casinos set a recent record last year, seeing the highest gross gaming revenue since 2008.
The casinos raked in a total state gaming revenue of $3,117,415,506 with $2,669,247,245 in gross gaming revenue (GGR).
There are 26 casinos in Mississippi that contributed to the record GGR. The commission estimates that over 10 million patrons that visited the casinos in 2021 came from out-of-state tourism.
“The gaming industry is an extremely important part of our state’s economy,” said Jay McDaniel, State Gaming Commission Executive Director. “In addition to the over $2.6 billion in gaming revenue generated by the casinos last year, there was another $660,000 in non-gaming revenue. We estimate that more than 20 million visitors came to the state’s casinos last year, with more than 50% of those from outside the state.”
Mississippi Milestone
The report shows that the 12 Coastal area casinos near the Gulf Coast saw the bulk of the casino gambling revenue in 2021. Areas like Biloxi are a hotbed for gambling in Mississippi.
A total of $2,117,415,506 came from the Gulf Coast region alone. The Northern region saw $813,763,764 and the central region saw $398,285,483.
Mississippi’s massive success comes as a surprise considering the pandemic was still affecting casinos heavily in 2021. Many locations were only open at limited capacity for much of the year.
“Mississippi’s gaming industry continues to serve as a catalyst for driving the state’s economy and creating avenues for boosting tourism” said Scott Waller, president and CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council. “While COVID-19 presented unforeseen challenges, it was an opportunity to double down and demonstrate the industry’s value in providing meaningful careers, growing tax revenue and in being a desirable destination for tourists.”
Mississippi’s casino market continues to thrive as one of the biggest in the US and the potential for even more revenue going forward is possible.
Right now, Mississippi only allows for physical sports betting to take place at local casinos. However, an attempt was made to pass legislation to launch online betting apps in the Magnolia State.
With how popular online betting is in the US, should Mississippi add the option, the market could have millions more in revenue annually.