Mississippi casinos celebrated one year of legalized sports betting on July 25. Mississippi Gaming Commission Executive Director Allen Godfrey said, “It’s gone very smoothly. We had some good advice from other jurisdictions when we wrote the regulations. I think we did a good job coming together with the operators. We all knew what was expected of each other.”
Godfrey said sports betting is not a large revenue generator, but it brings visitors and players into the state’s casinos. “From the standpoint of revenue expectations, I think sports betting revenue isn’t what people may have though it would be, but overall gaming revenue has grown 5 percent, which generates into tax revenue for the public. That hasn’t happened in a long time.”
Godfrey added, “People are renovating sportsbooks that aren’t even a year old, and that requires money and publicly traded companies. I think that says everything you need to know about what sports betting has added to the gaming industry.”
One of those venues is at Beau Rivage Casino & Resort in Biloxi. On the one-year anniversary of sports betting, Beau Rivage unveiled its new multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art sports book facility. Beau Rivage and its sister property in Tunica were the first Mississippi casinos to offer legal sports wagering. Beau Rivage President and CEO Travis Lunn said, “We think it has definitely contributed to driving people here to the Coast and specifically to the Beau Rivage. That’s why we’ve made such a significant investment with this new facility.”
The casino resort’s new TAP Book, Bar & Bistreaux offers more than 100 HDTV screens, including a 24 x 14 foot video wall. The 7,000-square-foot facility also has 14 locations with individual HD touch-enabled monitors where guests can watch sporting events with interactive controls. In addition, 35 video poker machines are available, as well an extensive menu featuring the Landmass Burger, which recently was named “Best of the Best” at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival.
Soon Beau Rivage will launch its mobile sports betting app, allowing bettors to place bets from anywhere on the resort property.
Lunn said, “One thing that was important to us is listening to our guests. Making a sports bet is one thing, but our guests want a whole entertainment package. They want a destination. With this venue, we’re giving them not only sports betting, but world-class dining.”
MGM Regional Director of Public Relations Mary Cracchiolo Spain noted, “Sportsbooks are very advanced now. The new model, which you’re seeing all over the country are venues like this that offer more than just sports betting. People want something going on, even where there are no games on. We see this as an amenity. We see this as another available entertainment opportunity for our guests. It’s a huge opportunity to reach a new audience which we’ve maybe never had before.”
Godfrey noted he’s already seen “a significant amount of foot traffic” in casinos due to sports betting. “The operators have told me how many more people are coming in, especially people they haven’t seen in a while. It’s a different clientele, probably a little younger, people who love sports. We know football is key here in the south, especially college football.”
Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith agreed. He said sports wagering is attracting “new and younger customers” and driving “incremental traffic that supports the casino,” resulting in increases in both gaming and nongaming revenue.
