- Louisiana will be launching online gaming options in 2022.
- Governor Ivey established a task force to study Alabama's gaming policies.
- New Jersey online gaming made $634.2 million in the first two quarters of 2021.
JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi is currently thriving despite having no online gaming options, but the potential ease of access in neighboring states could cause a portion of Mississippi's population to travel next door to take advantage of the dozens of planned online gaming options.
While there are currently no discussions to change Mississippi's policy regarding online gaming, Louisiana is planning to have full online gaming by 2022.
Alabama may be an issue for Mississippi's casino market as well according to a statement by the American Gaming Association.
"A further competitive threat to Mississippi’s commercial casino gaming industry comes from a potential expansion of gambling in neighboring Alabama. While the Alabama market is already served by electronic bingo devices at tribal casinos, a task force was established by Gov. Kay Ivey (R) in 2020 to study the state’s policy options regarding commercial casinos, expanded tribal gaming, a state lottery and sports wagering."
Upward Trend Or Downhill From Here?
In April 2021 Mississippi's coast casinos earned $151.7 million, generating $31 million in state taxes. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is currently the nation’s fifth-largest gaming market, having jumped up from being ranked eighth in 2019.
It's clear that there is an intense demand for casino gaming in Mississippi, so why is the supply being restricted?
Mississippi offers over a dozen casinos within its borders, and 2021 has seen the largest influx of people taking advantage of these establishments in recent history. Casinos reported a 23% increase in gross revenue for 2021 so far compared to 2019, casino gaming is clearly a hit in Mississippi. Yet online gaming remains unregulated.
But if Louisiana and Alabama open their doors to online casino gaming, Mississippi may see thousands of its own residents crossing state borders instead of gaming in their home state.
The Profits Of Online Casino Gaming
There is a financial incentive to online casino gaming, as it can potentially double the amount of taxable revenue gaming revenue per state.
New Jersey currently has the biggest online casino gaming market in the nation, making over $100 million in revenue four months in a row this year from online gaming alone.
Online gaming generated $634.2 million in the first two quarters of 2021, and is predicted to break $1 billion for the first time since launch.
While it’s very unlikely that Mississippi would ever see these exact numbers, it’s a safe bet that Mississippi could be making millions more per month in taxes with the addition of online gaming options.