Before the December numbers come out and are added to the year, Mississippi casinos have posted up $1,950,495,795.55 in adjusted gross gaming revenue for 2016. The best month was Feb. with over $190 million and the slowest month was November with nearly $154 million in GGR so it is a near certainty that 2016 will break the $2 billion mark. It’s not likely the state will break 2008 numbers overall which came in at $2,721,139,216.34.

According to numbers available from the Mississippi Gaming Commission coastal casinos are the big winners again with an expected $1.2 billion for the year.

Coastal Gross Gaming Revenue for 2015 broke $1.14 billion, up 6 percent from 2014’s $1.08 billion. In 2009 total revenues hit $1.11 billion

There are 12 casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with the newest casino being Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, Mississippi. Even before the Scarlet Pearl Casino opened on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, other casinos in the area began upgrades, refurbishments, and various promotional expansions.

The local investments and renewed interest in the area helped by the casino across the back bay have been paying off for coastal operators.

Wlox reports that IP Casino sees the market as bullish for the coming year and that the operation plans to keep putting money back into the property to improve their offerings.

Scarlet Pearl was mandated to include a high percentage of ‘entertainment amenities’ with a good portion of that investment going into a world class ‘miniature’ golf course. Harrah’s Gulf Coast debuted their renovated hotel in May and is opening a new restuarant early this year.

Boyd Gaming’s IP Casino Resort & Spa spent about $2.5 million upgrading 54 suites.

In June the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe announced plans to create a Foxwoods-branded casino resort in partnership with local developer Biloxi Boardwalk Ventures.

2016 saw Mississippi celebrate 25 years of legal gambling and the future looks bright indeed.