Page 15 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Winter, 2021

Law rm shares top 8 gaming stories for 2020
(Editor’s Note: Tommy Shepherd,
a partner in the Jackson of ce of
Jones Walker LLP, shares his top 8 gaming industry stories from 2020. Shepherd’s rm publishes the Mississippi Gaming Law blog at msgaminglaw.
com. Shepherd can be reached at tshepherd@joneswalker.com.)
By Tommy Shepherd and Zach Branson
MISSISSIPPI — We looked at Mississippi’s milestones throughout 2020 and have listed those highlights below.
UMUSIC Broadwater Hotel & Casino
the rst multi-state draw games went on sale Jan. 30 in Mississippi, with both Powerball and Mega Millions being available for purchase.
Lottery Success
After selling the rst scratch-off tickets Thanksgiving weekend 2019, the Mississippi Lottery transferred more than $70 million to the state treasury by the end of the scal year, July 1, 2020. The authorizing statute requires that
the rst $80 million in every scal year will go to the State Highway Fund, but any amounts beyond $80 million will go to the Education Enhancement Fund. It is anticipated that lottery revenue will fund the Education Enhancement Fund
in the spring due to COVID-19, the reopenings in time for Memorial Day weekend led to an extremely strong recovery in gross gaming revenue, with July and August reporting more than 5% increases over a similar time frame in 2019. Overall, the pandemic continues to prove challenging to the Mississippi gaming market.
Eldorado Completes Purchase of Caesars
Eldorado Resorts completed the purchase of Caesars Entertainment on July 20, 2020, creating the largest gaming company in America. The merger was a $17.3 billion cash and stock deal.
Intense Hurricane Season
While the pandemic was challenging enough, 2020 brought one of the most active hurricane seasons on record, and the Mississippi gaming industry was not immune. Hurricane Zeta alone caused $50 million in damage to Gulf Coast casinos, in addition to the loss of gross gaming revenue during closures caused by the storm.
Mobile Sports Wagering
In December 2020, the Mississippi Senate Gaming Committee held hearings on the possibility of statewide mobile sports betting being made legal in the state. Will 2021 be the year?
Dakia Global
U-Ventures and
Universal Music
Group announced
a $1.2 billion
resort to be built
in Biloxi starting in
2021, with a target
opening in 2023.
The planned resort
would have 1,150
hotel rooms, a
12,000-seat entertainment venue, and an 18-hole golf course.
Multi-State Draw Debut
Following the successful launch of the Mississippi Lottery in November 2019,
in 2021 for the rst time.
Scarlet Pearl Renovations
Amid coronavirus- related concerns and closings, the Scarlet Pearl has proceeded with its planned $30 million upgrade, most
recently opening the Orchid Room, a high-limit gaming area.
Gross Gaming Revenue
While casino properties in the state were shut down for a signi cant time
Marina view of the proposed UMUSIC Broadwater Hotel & Casino.
WINTER 2021 MISSISSPPI GAMING NEWS 15