Mississippi casinos made $5M more this year after reopening for Memorial Day weekend
Casino operators in South Mississippi were expecting some pent up demand when casinos reopened a week ago, in time for Memorial Day weekend.
What they saw were full hotel rooms, busy restaurants and action on the casino floor. People who were cautioned about the risks of gathering indoors in groups grew tired after two months of coronavirus shutdown and returned to the casinos.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission reported Thursday just how good a weekend it was for casinos across the state.
Gross gaming revenue for the weekend from May 21-25 came in at $33.9 million.
That was $5 million more than Memorial Day Weekend 2019, when casinos won $28.9 million in gross gaming revenue, which is the amount the casino wins after paying cash winnings to its customers.
And that increase was without the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi — the state’s largest casino — being open. The Beau Rivage returns June 1.
Casinos were allowed to reopen May 21 with tight restrictions of 50% occupancy on the casino floor and with social distancing requirements.
Silver Slipper Casino in Hancock County opened with only 392 of its 855 total slot machines, and only permitting three active positions at table games that normally accommodate six or more people, according to a press release from parent company Full House Resorts.
The total casino win increased by 12.3% despite a 15.9% decrease in customers over the first five days the casino was open, the company reports.
The sportsbook at Silver Slipper and several other Coast casinos didn’t reopen on May 21 with the casinos and not all the restaurants and amenities have returned yet.
“What we know is there’s a lot of pent up demand out there,” Gov. Tate Reeves said during a press conference Thursday. People want to go out to nice restaurants and casinos after being home for so long, he said.
“I’m encouraged by that,” he said, and it will get more people to work. He also wants the casino operators and other businesses owners to follow the safety guidelines, he said.
Casinos are required to take multiple precautions to protect customers and employees during the pandemic. Employees must have their temperatures checked before starting work, and some casinos are also checking customers’ temperatures as part of the admission check. Employees are required to wear masks and customers are encouraged to do so as the coronavirus continues to be active in the state. Slot machine chairs and tables in restaurants must be 6 feet apart to maintain social distancing.
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 1:13 PM.
