The Mississippi House and the Senate are poised to pass around a bill that would legislate in favour of land-based casinos like the proverbial hot potato. Mississippi laws at present mean that rebuilding the damaged Gulf Coast casino industry would have to be done over water, something the industry would like to change. Since hurricanes Katrina and Rita made landfall, many wish to adopt a measure to make casino safety a priority.

The casino industry is vitally important to Mississippi but anti-gambling lobbies such as the Baptist Church have already shown determined opposition to relaxing the laws governing the construction of casinos. To the outsider, the difference between a casino over water, attached to a hotel complex by a walkway, and one within the same complex on dry land would seem to be negligible, and sort of akin to saying no sex took place where there was no bed present. However, it seems to have satisfied Mississippi morals in the past. The House and Senate now have to vote on the issue to allow the casino operators to rebuild on land.

Yesterday the Mississippi House passed the bill in the Gaming Committee but is waiting for the Senate to take a similar step before committing itself further. Legislators are confident that they will get enough votes to pass the bill but it seems that neither body wishes to be seen as the first to act. The Senate is apparently awaiting a bill from the House for consideration. Those who have lost their jobs in the once booming casino industry, as well as their homes in many cases, are understandably getting impatient.
(E-09.30.05)

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