Jackson Casino Bill Dead in Mississippi, Committee Chair Says Votes Not There

• A bill to allow a casino in Jackson is dead
• Mississippi lawmakers said the votes weren’t there
• Jackson is economically distressed 

Legislation to designate Jackson, MS, for a commercial casino resort is dead in the state legislature.

House Bill 1879 — the “City of Jackson Revitalization Act” — sought to allow a brick-and-mortar gaming development near the Mississippi State Capital. The state’s six commercial and 20 riverboat casinos are located along the Gulf Coast and on the Mississippi River.

The winning bidder for the casino, should HB 1879 have met a different fate, would have been required to invest a minimum of $500 million into the project. The opportunity would have also faced an annual $10 million licensing fee, money that would have gone to support the blight redevelopment tax credits fund.

Jackson Casino Bill Tabled

HB 1879 passed the House Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 26, but upon its arrival on the full House floor that same day, the legislation was tabled by the committee’s own chairman.

Rep. John “Trey” Lamar (R-Senatobia) explained that it became quickly apparent that there were not enough votes in the GOP-controlled Mississippi Legislature for the casino bill, which would require a three-fifths majority backing in the House and Senate, to pass.

We didn’t have the votes. We felt like it was worth a conversation,” Lamar told Mississippi Today.

“Last year, it got brought up in committee and didn’t get brought out of committee. This year, it made it out of committee and got brought out to the floor,” Lamar added.

At least for now, it appears that a casino undertaking won’t be Jackson’s economic saver. The city could certainly use one.

Citywide annual household income is only slightly above $43,200, or almost half of the national average of $80,600. Less than three in 10 Jackson residents aged 25 and older have a Bachelor’s degree or higher.  

Mississippi Gaming Measures 

The Jackson casino bill seems dead, as is a statute to end casino smoking in the state, but Mississippi lawmakers continue to consider other gaming measures.

House Bill 1302 would expand sports betting to the internet. Currently, sports bets must be made in person at a physical casino. HB 1302 has already cleared the House but is facing strong opposition in the Senate.

If HB 1302 isn’t supported in the upper chamber, Lamar has filed House Bill 1881. That legislation would increase the state’s tax on commercial gaming revenue from 12% to 16%. Lamar says that would help recoup the state’s tax revenue losses from not allowing online sports betting.