Mississippi gambling enthusiasts are out of luck as Republican representatives decided not to put forward a bill that would have allowed a casino in Jackson. According to them, the bill lacked sufficient support but that doesn’t mean things won’t change in the future.

Committee Chair Trey Lamar, who filed the bill Monday, explained that representatives of the Republican Party privately discussed the matter and concluded that the bill would not be able to gain enough votes. However, Lamar added that those who hope to see a casino in Jackson shouldn’t give up just yet.

For reference, Mississippi currently allows commercial casinos to only be constructed on the Gulf Coast or along the Mississippi River. Currently, there are 12 casinos on the Gulf Coast and 14 along the Mississippi River. In addition to commercial properties, there are also three tribal casinos operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians across the state.

Lamar’s bill would have changed that, creating opportunities for investment in gaming right in the heart of the state. Under his bill, an existing licensed operator would have been allowed to construct and operate a casino in the Mississippi capital, only 1 mile away from the Capitol building.

A New Casino Would Disrupt the Power Balance

For reference, Mississippi’s House is currently dominated by the Republicans. However, the Democratic Party has a lot of members who are opposed to the opening of a casino in Jackson, citing economic concerns.

Rep. Robert Johnson, leader of the House Democrats, believes that a casino in Jackson would disrupt the power balance, hurting Mississippi River casinos. This sentiment was echoed by Democratic Rep. Oscar Denton and Republican Rep. Kevin Ford, who said that their city of Vicksburg would likely get the worst of it.

Vicksburg, for reference, houses the nearest casino to Jackson.

Johnson explained that coastal casinos will likely adapt but “there is no way anybody else could survive” the opening of a casino in the Mississippi capital.

Speaking of coastal casinos, Mississippi’s Senate recently approved the Tidelands Bill, which came as a response to the controversial approval of RW Development’s casino in Biloxi. The measure, however, raised concerns among coastal leaders and the future of local casinos.

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The leading global company, providing analytics, technology, digital and retail games, Scientific Games (SG), announced an important promotion. The company confirmed it selected Andrew Jackson as its new vice president of environmental, social and governance (ESG). In his new role with SG, he will oversee the development of strategic ESG initiatives for the business across the globe.

As VP of ESG, Jackson will help strengthen different ESG projects and closely monitor those initiatives. Moreover, he will help streamline such projects with SG’s global pillars that focus on minimizing the impact of the environment, empowering employees and partners, expanding healthy play and lottery literacy, among others.

Back in 2022, SG became an independent company that focuses heavily on the lottery industry. This enabled it to grow significantly its efforts toward ESG and implement vital changes to its operations.

Currently, SG is renowned as the largest developer and manager of instant lottery games. The company is recognized for its leadership not only in the lottery sector but in the sports betting vertical as well, considering it offers technology, loyalty programs and solutions. Annually, SG’s partners generate billions of dollars through different charity programs while supporting responsible gambling.

The New VP of ESG Has Vast Expertise and a Wide Range of Skills

Jackson has extensive experience in ESG. Throughout his professional career, he accumulated knowledge and skills in different sectors, including engineering. He first joined SG back in 1999. Prior to his appointment as VP of ESG, he most recently held the role of director of quality, compliance and R&D. At the time, Jackson was based at the company’s instant game production and technology facility in the UK.

“Andrew’s wealth of experience and expertise in sustainability will lead us into the next era of responsible growth.“

Dena Rosenzweig, chief legal officer for Scientific Games

Dena Rosenzweig, SG’s chief legal officer, explained that the company’s ongoing focus for the last five decades has been the delivery of services that help positively impact communities. She praised Jackson’s comprehensive background, outlining his in-depth knowledge of sustainability.

Additionally, Rosenzweig predicted that the new VP of ESG will help SG reach a new level of responsible growth. Finally, she said that under his close guidance, the company’s ESG programs will successfully impact communities and industries across the globe.

Back in November, SG announced support for the National Council on Problem Gambling’s annual Gift Responsibly campaign. This marked the sixth time in a row the company vowed support for the initiative.

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