JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The health of Mississippi’s two casino markets continued to diverge in May, with Gulf Coast casinos continuing to show health growth, while gambling revenue fell sharply along the Mississippi River.
Figures released this week by the state Revenue Department show casinos won $177 million in May, down 4 percent from $185 million in May 2015.
That’s because revenue at the 16 Mississippi River casinos plunged 14 percent from May 2015, falling to $73 million. The slide reversed hopeful signs that a long slide in revenues along the river might be bottoming out.
Gamblers lost $104 million at the 12 coastal casinos, 4 percent more than last April. It’s the ninth increase for coastal casinos in the last year.
Numbers exclude Choctaw Indian casinos, which don’t report winnings to the state.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
