The House Ways and Means Committee in Mississippi approved a tax increase on casinos, increasing taxes from 12% to 16%. Chairman Trey Lamar stated that the goal of the bill is to recoup lost revenue from not legalizing online betting, estimating the state could generate around $50 million a year from online gambling. Lamar also criticized the Senate for blocking online betting bills passed by the House in previous years.
Senate Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount criticized the tax increase and the House’s proposal to eliminate income tax but raise other taxes. Blount expressed concerns about raising taxes on businesses, such as casinos, which are essential to the state. This is the first serious discussion of raising the casino tax in at least a decade in Mississippi.
Some in the industry have attributed stagnant revenue growth in recent years to illegal online gambling in Mississippi or legal online gambling in neighboring states. The House’s move to increase taxes on casinos is seen as a response to the Senate’s resistance to legalizing online betting. The bill will now move to the full House for further consideration.
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