Mississippi Bill to Allow for Jackson Casino Dies Just Before Floor Vote

^{The Mississippi capitol in Jackson will not become home to a new casino, after a lack of support in the state legislature. (Image: Chad Robertson / Alamy)}

A bill that would have allowed for the building of a casino in Jackson died in the Mississippi House on Wednesday, but proponents say they’ll be back to take another shot next year.

House Bill 1879 passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, setting up the potential for a full floor vote.

Lamar: Bill ‘Worthy of a Conversation’

However, Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar (R-Senatobia) made a motion to table the bill, a motion that was then passed via a voice vote.

Lamar told reporters that he stopped the bill from advancing further simply because there weren’t enough votes to pass the legislation. However, he also suggested that there is momentum building for a Jackson casino.

“Last year it got brought up in committee but didn’t make it out of committee. This year we made it out of committee, got brought to the floor,” Lamar told reporters. “Anytime private investors are willing to invest literally hundreds of millions in downtown Jackson, we think that’s worthy of a conversation. That’s what happened today, but the votes were not there yet. This kind of sets a little foundation for that further work.”

Rep. Chris Bell (D-Jackson), who sponsored the bill, was upset by the result, but vowed to keep fighting for the casino in future legislative sessions.

“This is an opportunity for the city of Jackson to take advantage of opportunities that have been passed over for several years now,” Bell said of the legislation. “This act provides economic stimulus to the city of Jackson and developers who want to come inside the city of Jackson.”

Smaller Casinos Fear Market Cannibalization

Currently, Mississippi law only allows for casinos on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi River, or on Native American land. Bell’s legislation would have extended that authorization to Jackson. It would also have required a minimum investment of $500 million in a casino in the city, and would require that the casino be owned by someone who already owns or operates a casino.

“It’s not costing the state a dime. It’s a $500 million investment in the city of Jackson,” Bell said. “Mississippi has always swayed projects away from the city of Jackson. This is the first time that I can honestly say, since I’ve been here, that the state of Mississippi is willing to support the project within the boundary lines of the city of Jackson.”

While the idea of a Jackson casino has garnered support from prominent political figures such as former Governor Haley Barbour, there are those around the state – particularly those from districts that already host casinos – who are against the plan.

“Areas like Vicksburg right now cannot afford to have their markets destroyed by having a casino put in Jackson,” House Minority Leader Robert Johnson (D-Natchez) said. 

However, Bell’s bill attempted to address these concerns. A provision in the legislation would have offered reimbursement to Vicksburg casinos for up to three years if they suffered negative impacts from a Jackson casino. 

The bill also included tax incentives for the development of blighted properties in Jackson. In addition, it included a 10 percent tax credit on annual gaming license fees for any gaming license holder who made an investment of at least $100 million into a gaming facility, an incentive designed to encourage investment in existing casinos.

The Mississippi legislature has considered a number of gambling related bills in 2025, including a sweepstakes casino ban and a proposal to increase the tax rate on casinos. So far, none of these bills have become law, though the sweepstakes casino ban did pass the Mississippi Senate.