Category Archives: Casino Gaming

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Alabama’s 2024 Legislative Session

By Matthew C. McDonald and Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Alabama Gaming, Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Horse-racing, Lottery, Skill-based Gaming, Slot Machines, Sports Betting, Sports Wagering, Tribal Gaming
The regular session of the Alabama Legislature begins on Feb. 6, 2024. Legislators are allotted 30 legislative days during the session, which totals 105 calendar days. Once again it appears that competing legislative proposals relating to gambling will be considered. Legislators have grappled unsuccessfully with the issue since 1999, the year Alabama voters declined to … Continue Reading

Jones Walker Expands Gaming Group with New Office in Tallahassee, Florida

By J. Kelly Duncan and Tommy Shepherd on Posted in American Gaming Association, Casino Gaming, Daily Fantasy Sports, Florida Gaming, Florida Gaming Control Commission, Government Regulation, Horse-racing, International Masters of Gaming Law, Jones Walker Announcements, Lottery, Louisiana Gaming, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Sports Betting, Sports Wagering, Tribal Gaming
Jones Walker LLP is expanding its reach within the gaming industry by reopening its Tallahassee, Florida, office effective immediately. The new office expansion is the direct result of a successful and long-standing strategic alliance with Florida’s Dean Mead law firm. A total of nine attorneys and government relations professionals will join Jones Walker to maximize a larger client delivery … Continue Reading

Beneficial for Whom? Requirement to Provide Beneficial Ownership Information for Business Entities Begins January 1, 2024

By Tommy Shepherd and Walt Terry on Posted in American Gaming Association, Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Louisiana Gaming, Mississippi Gaming Commission
On January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act, a US federal law, will begin requiring certain corporations and limited liability companies to disclose their beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the US Department of the Treasury. The corporate ownership structures of many gaming companies, particularly those that utilize … Continue Reading

2022 Mississippi Milestones

By Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Sports Betting, Sports Wagering, Tribal Gaming
We took a deep dive into Mississippi’s milestones throughout 2022 and have listed those highlights below. Still No Mobile Sports WageringAt least five bills authorizing mobile sports wagering were introduced in the 2022 session of the Mississippi Legislature. However, once again, none made it out of committee due to the inability of gaming interests to … Continue Reading

2021 Regional Gaming Highlights

By Tommy Shepherd, J. Kelly Duncan, Matthew C. McDonald and Chris Ulfers on Posted in Alabama Gaming, Casino Gaming, Georgia Gaming, Government Regulation, Horse-racing, Lottery, Lottery News, Louisiana Gaming, Skill-based Gaming, Slot Machines, Sports Betting, Sports Wagering, Tribal Gaming
Alabama In 2020, Governor Kay Ivey appointed a Gaming Task Force to study the feasibility of legalizing gaming in Alabama. Since voters rejected the last attempt in 1999 to amend the Alabama constitutional prohibition on gambling, numerous attempts to pass gaming legislation have failed. But with the proliferation of gaming in surrounding states, bingo casinos … Continue Reading

2021 Mississippi Milestones

By Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Lottery, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Skill-based Gaming, Slot Machines, Sports Betting, Sports Wagering, Tribal Gaming
We took a deeper dive into Mississippi’s milestones throughout 2020 and have listed those highlights below. Mobile Wagering Legislation Has No Legs — Yet Coast Senators Scott Delano and Philip Moran and others introduced bills (SB 2732, SB 2396, and HB 1042) to allow mobile sports betting statewide in an effort to enable Mississippi sports … Continue Reading

Alabama Gaming Proposal

By Matthew C. McDonald and Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Alabama Gaming, Bingo, Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Tribal Gaming
Senator Del Marsh, who served as president pro tem of the Alabama Senate 2010–2020, introduced on February 9, 2021, SB214, a bill proposing an amendment to the Alabama Constitution (the CA). The CA proposes comprehensive authorization of gaming, including a lottery, five casinos, and sports wagering. It also authorizes and encourages Governor Kay Ivey to … Continue Reading

What Do We Know After the Mississippi Supreme Court’s Ruling in RW Development?

By Tommy Shepherd and Katie Hester on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Mississippi Gaming Commission
Following Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi Legislature amended the Mississippi Gaming Control Act to allow Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos to locate within 800 feet inland of a previous legal gaming site. Then, in December 2020 the Mississippi Supreme Court rendered an important opinion interpreting the legal site provisions of both the Mississippi Gaming Control Act and the … Continue Reading

2020 Regional Gaming Highlights

By J. Kelly Duncan, Tommy Shepherd, Matthew C. McDonald, Zach Branson and Chris Ulfers on Posted in Casino Gaming, Georgia Gaming, Government Regulation, Horse-racing, Lottery, Louisiana Gaming, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Sports Betting, Tribal Gaming
Alabama In late 2019, the Birmingham Race Course placed 301 historical horse racing machines at its facility. The machines, known as historical pari-mutuel betting, allow users to place wagers on horse races that have already taken place. The machines use historical information from previously run races, allowing bettors to pick the favorites or handicap for … Continue Reading

2020 Mississippi Milestones

By Tommy Shepherd and Zach Branson on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Lottery, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Skill-based Gaming, Sports Betting, Tribal Gaming
We took a deeper dive into Mississippi’s milestones throughout 2020 and have listed those highlights below. UMUSIC Broadwater Hotel and Casino Dakia Global U-Ventures and Universal Music Group announced a $1.2 billion resort to be built in Biloxi starting in 2021, with a target opening in 2023. The planned resort would have 1,150 hotel rooms, … Continue Reading

What Will Reopened Casinos Look Like in Louisiana and Mississippi After the Coronavirus Shutdown Ends?

By J. Kelly Duncan and Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Jones Walker Announcements, Slot Machines, Tribal Gaming
Even though the casinos in Louisiana and Mississippi continue to be closed under orders from the states’ governors and gaming regulators to address the coronavirus pandemic, we can speculate what a reopened gaming industry might look like in the Deep South once those orders are lifted. Prior to entry into a casino, guests may be … Continue Reading

Challenging Times: Specific Issues Facing the Gaming Industry During the Coronavirus Crisis

By Tommy Shepherd and J. Kelly Duncan on Posted in Casino Gaming, Jones Walker Announcements
With nearly all (980 of 989) commercial and tribal casinos in the United States closed, affecting more than 650,000 directly employed persons during the novel coronavirus shutdown, there are specific sets of issues facing the gaming industry. We summarize some of the more important ones below. Employee Issues Many gaming industry employers have taken one … Continue Reading

Louisiana Supreme Court Concludes that Permanently Moored Riverboat Casinos Are Not “Vessels” Under Maritime Law

By J. Kelly Duncan and Chris Ulfers on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation
In Caldwell v. St. Charles Gaming (No. 2019-CC-1238), the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that a permanently moored riverboat casino engaged in dockside gaming is not a “vessel” under either the Jones Act or the General Maritime Law. Caldwell was employed as a technician by the Grand Palais Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and was allegedly … Continue Reading

Louisiana Supreme Court to Address Whether Permanently Moored Casinos Are “Vessels” Under Maritime Law

By J. Kelly Duncan and Chris Ulfers on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation
The Louisiana Supreme Court will soon consider whether the Grand Palais casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana, qualifies as a “vessel” under the Jones Act and general maritime law. Indeed, the Court recently granted certiorari and agreed to review the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision in Caldwell v. St Charles Gaming, 18-868 (La. App. … Continue Reading

2019 Mississippi Milestones

By Tommy Shepherd and Zach Branson on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Lottery, Lottery News, Sports Betting
We took a deeper dive into Mississippi’s milestones throughout 2019 and have listed those highlights below. New Biloxi casino In June, the Mississippi Gaming Commission gave site approval to what will be Biloxi’s ninth casino — Biloxi House — on the site of the former Margaritaville Casino on the Back Bay. The building, off 5th … Continue Reading

Mississippi Court Rules Slot Wagering Vouchers are Gaming Debts which may be Voided if not Redeemed by Expiration Date

By Katie Hester on Posted in Casino Gaming, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Slot Machines
On January 8, 2019, in response to a patron’s appeal of a Mississippi Gaming Commission decision, the Mississippi Court of Appeals ruled that a slot voucher, a/k/a TITO, was a gaming debt under the Mississippi Gaming Control Act and that any dispute over the payment of a slot voucher was governed by the patron dispute … Continue Reading

Top “Baker’s Dozen” Mississippi Gaming Stories of 2018

By Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Lottery News, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Sports Betting, Tribal Gaming
As we round the bend into 2019, we pause to reflect on the top Mississippi gaming stories of 2018. Here is our list: Out of the Shadows and Into the Light. On May 14, 2018, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in Christie vs. NCAA, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the … Continue Reading

Mississippi has Passed a Lottery Bill: Now What?

By Tommy Shepherd and Zach Branson on Posted in Casino Gaming, Lottery News
On August 31, 2018, Governor Phil Bryant signed legislation authorizing a lottery, removing Mississippi from the list of states without a lottery (now down to five jurisdictions). So, when will Mississippians be able to buy a lottery ticket? Through close analysis of the statute and anticipated procedure, it is possible to get some sense of the … Continue Reading

Mississippi Gaming Commission Adopts Final Sports and Race Book Regulations

By Zach Branson and Tommy Shepherd on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Mississippi Gaming Commission, Sports Wagering
On Thursday, June 21, the Mississippi Gaming Commission (“MGC”) took a major step toward the goal of licensed sports and race books in state casinos by adopting governing regulations. A copy of the final regulations can be accessed here. Differences between the draft regulations and the final regulations, as adopted, indicate that betting using smartphone apps … Continue Reading

What Has to Happen Before the First Sports Wager in Mississippi?

By Tommy Shepherd and Zach Branson on Posted in Casino Gaming, Government Regulation, Mississippi Gaming Commission, PASPA, Sports Wagering
While many media outlets have reported that Mississippi is one of a handful of states on the forefront of preparing for legal sports betting after the Supreme Court declared the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) unconstitutional, there is a great deal that must happen before a Mississippi casino may accept legal sports wagers. … Continue Reading
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