The
Mississippi Gaming
Commission established
minimum investment
for all casinos in
1994. In order to
foster economic
growth through job
creation, the
commission requires
that each casino
licensee build a
hotel with a
minimum of 250-room
and a 500-space
parking facility.
Moreover, 25% of
the actual cost of
the casino
development must be
invested in the
local community
where the casino
will be developed.
The cost for
obtaining a casino
license is $5,000,
along with any
other investigation
fees. The annual
fee for maintaining
a casino is $5,000
plus a fee for each
game in the casino.
The game fee is
usually around $35
for one game and
increases for each
game up to 35 games
for a fee of
$81,200. Additional
games above 35 are
permitted for $100
per game. Slot
machines are not
considered
“games”, thus
not required for
gaming fees.
Casinos licensees
are also
responsible for
revenue taxes as
determined by the
State. Publicly
traded companies
that are affiliated
with all gaming
licensees much also
be registered with
the Commission.
Fees for
manufactures and
distributors of
gaming related
equipment is the
following:
- Manufacturer
application fee:
$1,000
Manufacturer
annual fee:
$1,000
- Distributor
application fee:
$500
Distributor
annual fee: $500
- Manufacturer
and Distributor
application fee:
$1,500
Manufacturer and
Distributor
annual fee:
$1,500
- Manufacturer
and Distributor
are each
required to post
a surety bond of
$5,000. If the
company is both
the Manufacturer
and the
Distributor,
that company
must pay a
surety bond of
$10,000.
The Mississippi
Band of Choctaw
Indians has the
lone tribal compact
with the State of
Mississippi. The
compact was
approved in 1993
for Class III
gaming. According
to the compact, all
manufacturers and
distributors of
gaming machines are
required to be
licensed by both
the State and the Choctaw
Gaming Commission.
The annual fee for
a manufacturer
license is $1,000.
If the company is
both the
manufacturer and
the distributor,
the annual fee is
$2,000. The
estimated
investigation and
processing time for
a license takes
between 30 and 60
working days, or
until finished by
the Choctaw Gaming
Commission.
Mississippi also
has cruise vessel
gaming operations,
which was approved
in 1990. There is
no limit to the
number of licenses
that may be issued,
but cruise vessels
are limited to
approved counties.
There are currently
around 30,000 slot
machines in
operation in
Mississippi. All
Slot machines must
have a minimum
payout of 80%.
Mississippi
Gaming Statute
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