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After hitting its second-highest total of 2023, Mississippi casino revenue started 2024 on a cold streak.
The state’s 26 non-tribal casinos posted $180.3 million in revenue this past month, lagging $39.5 million behind December and falling nearly $22 million behind January 2023, according to the latest data from the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
Mississippi casino revenue down 18% month-on-month
Mississippi’s casino revenue is broken down into the following three regions: Central, Coastal, and Northern. This past month, the state’s Central region posted $120.9 million in revenue, followed by the Northern region at $36.4 million and the Central region at $23 million.
January’s numbers were abysmal compared to the state’s 2023 monthly revenue totals—it would’ve been the lowest total of 2023 by more than $10 million. You’d have to go back to February 2021 to find the last time the state’s casinos brought in lower monthly revenue.
| Month | Central Region | Coastal Region | Northern Region | Total | Month-on-Month Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | $23,039,308.50 | $120,876,868.66 | $36,360,257.12 | $180,276,434.28 | -18.0% |
| December | $29,992,289.77 | $139,043,632.90 | $50,798,684.28 | $219,834,606.95 | 14.8% |
| November | $24,379,325.26 | $122,261,516.48 | $44,922,664.80 | $191,563,506.54 | 0.3% |
| October | $24,473,122.15 | $122,565,538.38 | $44,027,006.32 | $191,065,666.85 | -9.0% |
| September | $27,443,096.80 | $135,392,235.14 | $47,153,784.43 | $209,989,116.37 | 5.7% |
| August | $25,069,515.30 | $128,565,902.48 | $45,108,528.07 | $198,743,945.85 | -9.1% |
| July | $27,027,992.15 | $143,196,496.77 | $48,375,085.32 | $218,599,574.24 | 10.3% |
| June | $26,560,323.47 | $127,341,857.77 | $44,286,194.83 | $198,188,376.07 | -5.7% |
| May | $27,168,292.70 | $135,395,413.06 | $47,677,447.47 | $210,241,153.23 | 0.4% |
| April | $28,672,846.22 | $131,244,684.17 | $49,488,868.00 | $209,406,398.39 | -7.7% |
| March | $32,292,773.35 | $142,101,405.63 | $52,393,029.44 | $226,787,208.42 | 9.9% |
| February | $27,512,611.00 | $133,443,060.75 | $45,436,412.72 | $206,392,084.47 | 2.2% |
| January | $26,629,872.84 | $129,430,640.02 | $45,897,307.80 | $201,957,820.66 | |
| Total | $350,261,369.51 | $1,710,859,252.21 | $601,925,270.60 | $2,663,045,892.32 |
The revenue decline might seem alarming, yet it’s anything but an anomaly. States across the country typically see big revenue drops from December to January. And that’s certainly been the case in Mississippi.
Here’s how January has performed month-on-month for the past few years:
- December 2021 to January 2022: $227.1 million to $204.2 million (down $22.9 million)
- December 2022 to January 2023: $222.8 million to $202 million (down $20.8 million)
- December 2023 to January 2024: $219.8 million to $180.3 million (down $39.5 million)
The concern isn’t that revenue went down but how much it went down. Mississippi’s December 2023 casino revenue to January 2024 revenue downturn was nearly twice as big as it was in the previous two years.
Sports betting was a bright spot amid casino revenue drop
While casino revenue struggled, sports betting saw a significant monthly revenue increase as well as positive yearly numbers. The state’s three regions combined for $44.6 million in handle and $6.7 million in revenue.
Handle was down around $4.2 million compared to December, revenue shot up $1.8 million (36.5%).
The same trend held up for annual handle and revenue totals. Sportsbooks brought in around $12.5 million more in handle in January 2023, but January 2024’s revenue was $1.5 million higher.
