Mississippi House panel approves casino tax increase

A Mississippi House committee has approved a proposed tax increase on casinos.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Trey Lamar said his bill would increase taxes on Mississippi casinos from 12% to 16% and it would recoup the tens of millions of dollars a year Mississippi is “losing” from not legalizing online betting.

Lamar said increasing the tax would generate an estimated $50 million a year. The move marks the first time in at least a decade that there’s been serious talk of raising the casino tax in Mississippi.

Senate Gaming Committee Chairman David Blount said he doesn’t support the tax increase on businesses that are vital to the state.