VendingData(TM)
Corporation (Amex: VNX) announced today that the Mississippi Gaming
Commission has approved and issued to the company a manufacturer's and
distributor's license to market and distribute its products in the State of
Mississippi.
The Mississippi Legislature legalized dockside casino gambling with the
passage of the Mississippi Gaming Control Act in 1990 in a Special
Legislative Session. By 1994, the State was generating well over $1 billion
in annual casino gross gaming revenues, crossing the $2.5 billion mark in
1999 and holding steady at approximately that level over the past 6 years.
Prior to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Mississippi was recognized as
the nation's third largest casino market behind Las Vegas and Atlantic
City.
Mississippi is rapidly rebuilding its casino industry, following the
devastation of all 12 of the floating casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
in 2005. Three of the Gulf Coast casinos are now operating and are
reporting property gaming revenues double pre-Katrina levels, 7 additional
casinos are expected to open by year end and many new casinos are planned.
New state legislation was passed in October 2005 legalizing land-based
casinos in the state for the first time, permitting casinos within 800 feet
of the shoreline, rather than limiting the gaming halls to barges. Among
the announced plans for casinos are: Beau Rivage, Boomtown, Hollywood
Casino (Bay St. Louis), Grand Casino(Biloxi), Treasure Bay, Silver Slipper,
Bali Hai Casino & Resort, Gulfport Oasis Casino, Bacarran Bay Casino,
Foxwoods, Hard Rock and many others.
As of April 2006, 20 casinos are operating in the State of Mississippi
with approximately 627 gaming tables and 97 poker tables generating
year-to-date revenues as of April 30, 2
2006-06-16