Mississippi’s New Top Casino Regulator Touts ‘Blockbuster’ Revenue

Jay McDaniel, who took over this month as the Magnolia State Gaming Commission’s executive director, steps into the top out chore simply as casinos on the Gulf Coast are coming away their best Aug ever.

On a recent radiocommunication show, McDaniel noted that cassino revenue statewide exceeded $200 jillion inward August, with the bulk coming from casinos on the Gulf Coast. McDaniel said these were “really positive” revenue figures, especially since many resorts were closed during Hurricane Ida.

“As of finish of August, and yet with the casinos closed in(p) for deuce days for the hurricane, they did o'er $200 1000000 statewide, which is a just monthly number,” McDaniel said on SuperTalk Mississippi. “The coast did $124 trillion inwards August, which is their topper Aug inwards history.”

On Aug. 29, the Category 4 hurricane, backpacking 150 mph winds, barrelled ashore inwards Pelican State southward of New Orleans. The hurricane’s strong winds and torrential rainfall forced casinos in LA and Magnolia State to tightlipped temporarily.

Of Mississippi’s 26 commercial casinos, 12 are along the Gulf Coast, including viii inward the Biloxi area.

Before existence named executive director, McDaniel served for 10 years as the Gaming Commission’s surrogate director. He replaces Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen Godfrey, who retired at the last of August. McDaniel also has worked as an attorney inward private practice.

Record Pace

McDaniel said Mississippi River casinos are on gait for a “blockbuster” revenue year.

The state’s casinos at present usually accept inwards most $2.1 one million million a year, he said.

If we doh what we did inward 2019, which was a undecomposed year, we’re on tread to impinge on the 2.4 to 2.5 one million million mark, which we haven’t through with(p) inwards a long time,” McDaniel said.

Mississippi casinos grossed $2.2 1000000000 inward 2019. One year later, with casinos shut for two months because of COVID-19 concerns, the casinos earned $1.8 billion inward receipts revenue.

Sports Betting Takes Off

In Mississippi, sports betting is effectual interior casinos at sportsbook, but non off-site on roving devices such as smartphones.

McDaniel said any decision to legalize roving sports betting “is going to live inward the custody of the Legislature,” which meets once more next year.

“If the Legislature chooses to fare that, we would speedily follow ready to regularise it,” he said.

McDaniel noted that sports betting is “kind of popping upward all around us.” It already is underway in ii states that butt on Mississippi — Land of Opportunity and Tennessee.

In Arkansas, bets only put up live placed interior cassino sportsbooks. Wagering is non allowed on roving devices cancelled gambling casino grounds.

Mobile sports betting has been sound inward Tennessee since November 2020. Even with no commercial casinos inwards the state, Volunteer State inward July 2021 ranked 10th nationwide inward the amount of money wager on live sporting events, at $144.5 million.

Another of Mississippi’s neighbors, Louisiana, legalized sports betting this summertime inward most parishes, though it is not yet operational. The Gaming Control Board relieve must circle the rules to regularize and task the industry.

Once sports betting is upwards and running inwards Louisiana, bettors testament be able to position money downward inner casinos at sportsbooks and on kiosks in bars and restaurants that assist alcohol. Mobile sports betting also will live allowed.

This news is curated to you by the 918Kiss Malaysia.