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Mississippi Casino Execs Worried Over Legislation

MISSISSIPPI – As reported by the Biloxi Sun Herald: "…Mississippi casino execs are probably having to double up on the Maalox as lawmakers continue to poke around for more money to toss off into the black hole of the state budget.

"Many gambling bills and proposals are on the table, tinkering with various facets of the state's Gaming Control laws. While several, ostensibly, could help the industry - allowing Coast casinos to build permanent structures under their barges, allowing off-track race betting - some aim at a direct hit on casino profits and others are just vague enough to be scary, bringing forward the proper 'code sections' to allow lawmakers to do anything from taking another run at outlawing gambling (unlikely) to taxing the bejeezus out of it (quite likely).

"Others, such as a move to shift tax-calculating authority from the Gaming Commission to the Tax Commission, have the gambling lobbyists baffled and fearful, poking around trying to root out any hidden agendas.

"…One bill that appears to be picking up a little steam - and churning up the casino-interest stomach acid - is a proposal to require casinos to take out delinquent child-support payments from the winnings of deadbeat dads.

"Casino leaders wonder how their employees would be able to track and enforce something that has appeared to stump the state's child-welfare agencies…"

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