House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar called off further discussion of the bill
A proposal to bring a casino to Jackson, Mississippi, was blocked just before it could be voted on by the full state House. The bill, House Bill 1879, was shelved through a motion by House Ways and Means Chairman Trey Lamar, ending its chances of moving forward. The decision came as concerns arose about how a new casino in Jackson could impact existing gaming establishments across the state.
Rep. Chris Bell, who sponsored the bill, had argued that allowing a casino in downtown Jackson would bring much-needed economic development. The proposal would have permitted an already licensed gaming operator in Mississippi to build a resort-style casino in the Capitol Complex Improvement District, with a required minimum investment of $500 million. Supporters of the plan believed it would create jobs, attract tourism, and revitalize parts of the city.
Despite these potential benefits, opposition from lawmakers representing areas with existing casinos proved too strong. Some feared that competition from a Jackson-based casino could hurt gambling revenues in cities like Natchez and Vicksburg, which rely heavily on their gaming industries. There were also concerns that the bill would give an unfair advantage to a single casino operator by allowing exclusive rights to the Jackson market.
The Magnolia State law currently restricts casinos to locations along the Mississippi River, the Gulf Coast, or Native American lands. The proposed legislation would have marked a major shift in the state’s gaming laws by allowing a casino to be built within a mile of the state Capitol.
Lamar acknowledged that there is interest from developers in bringing a casino to Jackson and suggested that similar efforts could resurface in future legislative sessions. For now, however, the effort to expand gaming into the state’s capital has stalled once again.
