Mississippi gaming revenue falls in May after two months of growth

Thursday, June 17, 2021 2:30 PM

Mississippi gaming revenue was down in May after two consecutive months of increases.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission reported Wednesday that total revenue from the state’s casinos was $245.1 million, a 6.2% decrease from April’s $261.4 million. Gaming revenue in March was $248.9 million.

Casinos in Mississippi’s Coastal Region, which includes Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay St. Louis, brought in the most revenue with $144.0 million, compared to $151.7 million in revenue in April, a 5.0% drop.

The Northern Tier, which includes Tunica and Lula counties, reported $64.6 million in revenue, a decrease of 7.6% from April’s $69.5 million.

The Central Region of Adams, Warren, and Washington counties reported $36.4 million in May revenue, down 10.4% from April’s $40.2 million.

Sports betting did increase in the state. Mississippi’s total handle from sports betting in May was $38.1 million, compared to $32.9 million in April. Taxable revenue from sports betting was $3.9 million.

Sports bettors in the Coastal Region wagered $20.6 million, bringing in taxable revenue of $1.8 million. The total handle in the Northern Tier was $5.6 million, with taxable revenue of $574,932. Central Region sports bettors wagered $9.9 million; taxable revenue was $1.5 million.

Rege Behe

Rege Behe brings more than 30 years of experience as a journalist to his role as a lead contributor to CDC Gaming. His work ranges from day-to-day industry coverage to deeper features such as the CDC Gaming Roundtables and the “10 Women Rising in Gaming” series.