Page 5 - Mississippi/Louisiana Gaming News - Winter, 2023

Nearly 465 associates featured in this issue!
AGA reports quarterly revenue record for U.S. gaming industry
MISSISSIPPI — U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached a quarterly record of $16.60 billion in Q1 2023, marking the industry’s eighth straight record-breaking quarter, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. The quarter was highlighted by the industry’s highest-grossing month ever of $5.9 billion in March.
It is a testament to the overall strength of the U.S. commercial gaming industry that at the start of 2023 nearly every commercial gaming jurisdiction experienced an increase in annual revenue with only Mississippi reporting an annual decline.
According to the AGA Revenue Tracker, among the 25 states that had land-based casino gaming a year earlier, 23 saw an annual gain in traditional gaming revenue in Q1 2023 (sports betting not factored in). Only the southern casino markets in Louisiana and Mississippi experienced a decline in revenue of -0.4% and -1.6%, respectively.
In Mississippi, the slowdown has been particularly pronounced for the state’s northern casinos located around Tunica, which serve an increasingly competitive Memphis area. Additionally, Mississippi’s lack of statewide mobile sports betting continues to put the Magnolia State at a disadvantage compared to its neighboring states, especially after the launch of online sports wagering in Louisiana in Q1 2022.
Louisiana’s total gaming revenue was bolstered by mobile sports betting, and Tennessee, which has no casinos but does have mobile sports betting, brought in $120.8 million in Q1.
Mississippi dipped 3.6% in 2022, going from nearly $2.7 billion to about $2.6 billion. Keep in mind, however, that Mississippi, which opened up sooner than other states during the pandemic, experienced a 48.7% increase in 2021 compared to 2020.
MISSISSIPPI GAMING & HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION
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Behind-The-Scenes Learning
Beau Rivage recently hosted 30 culinary students from the Hancock County Career Center for a career exploration day at the resort. The hands-on
hospitality and culinary trip provided sophomores, juniors and seniors with an in-depth look at practical business operations around the property. Students toured the property and experienced the behind- the-scenes operations. The day ended with a Q&A session with hospitality and culinary experts.
JACKSON OFFICE
P.O. Box 4479 Jackson, MS 39296
GULF COAST OFFICE
12268 Intraplex Pkwy Gulfport, MS 39503
LARRY GREGORY
Executive Director lgregory@msgaming.org • 601-940-3236
SUMMER 2023 MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS 5