Article originally written by Jane Shambra, a local Biloxi writer, for BNews Monthly, the monthly newsletter of the City of Biloxi. All images courtesy of the Local History and Genealogy Department / Biloxi Public Library / Harrison County Library System unless otherwise specified.
August marks the anniversary month of legalized gambling in Biloxi. With its colorful history and prime locale, Biloxi has been a major player for centuries.
Native Americans were practicing their own gambling years before the early settlers came to live in this area. Their games did not resemble roulette wheels or playing cards. Instead, they gambled with sticks resembling our game of dominoes.
In the early 1700s, settlers brought along gambling practices from Europe utilizing cards and dice.
A mid-1800s legend tells of the first possible casino in Biloxi. Just east of where Tullis Manor once stood was a grand venue operated by Mrs. Pradat, known then as the Green Oaks Hotel. Seafood was abundant, as were the accompanying music and the festive balls. Steamboats, which traveled regularly from New Orleans to Mobile, could easily dock at its shore, bringing guests by the hundreds to this first lavish gambling venue.
Early State Laws and Accessibility
According to Dunbar Rowland’s “History of Mississippi,” in 1839 the Legislature of the State of Mississippi passed an act that discouraged and suppressed gambling, specifically card games, dice, billiards, or any games of hazard for money or other valuable things. Fines and/or imprisonment were enforced penalties. The penalties were much heavier for state and county officers. Interestingly, betting on horse races was not indictable!
Even though gambling was illegal, residents and visitors did not have to look too hard to find a venue to partake in illicit activities.
In the 1920s, when gambling and prohibition were at their peak, many local hotels were the go-to place for visitors to engage in games of chance. One such example is the Hotel Avalez. It was built in the 1920s on Howard Avenue just across the street from our present Ground Zero Blues Club, originally built as a S. H. Kress store. A few years ago, a curious feature was discovered on the structure’s floor. An opening leading to a tunnel was found that was apparently part of the original design of the building. Then, an intriguing theory emerged. Was this tunnel a pathway to the nearby Avalez Hotel, across the street, providing suspicion of illegal gambling? Could bootlegging and gambling profits have been transported through this hidden passageway? No one will ever solve that puzzle, but the entrance of this hidden tunnel is still a luring feature within this building.
From 1926 to 1931, the infamous Isle of Caprice (formerly Dog Key Island) was located about 12 miles south of Biloxi. Not only did this venue offer gambling but it also was known for its swimming marathons. This barrier island submerged into the Mississippi Sound in 1931 with all its gambling devices.
By the 1950s, Biloxi had become a gambling destination. Even though it was technically illegal, Biloxians of all ages and visitors from afar engaged in gambling, especially card games and slot machines. And these practices were available everywhere.
Legalized Gambling and New Opportunities
By 1990, the State legislature approved (with the vote of the citizens) legalized dockside gaming. Floating boats were allowed to establish legalized gambling opportunities for those 21 and over.
Biloxi had to speed up regulations to enact proper zoning and design criteria needed to initiate the first gaming operation in the City of Biloxi: The Isle of Capri Casino, which officially opened on August 1, 1992.
Biloxi’s casinos eventually transitioned from mere wheeled paddleboats to huge, luxurious barges. No one ever realized these larger floating casinos were placed atop barges since they were elaborately designed with all the necessary electrical, plumbing, and decorative facilities typically found within landside structures.
The floating casinos included the introduction of massive buffets as well as live entertainment venues to complement the gaming areas, providing the principal activities to be offered at these establishments.
Two Hiccups in History
Since 1992, Biloxi suffered two significant pauses in its casino industry’s history. The first came along when Hurricane Katrina clobbered our shoreline. Hard Rock Casino was scheduled to open its doors to dockside gambling just a few days after that infamous August 29 date, scattering much of its unique music collection astray to the outside world. Had Katrina waited a few days more to visit, Biloxi would have had nine active casinos at the time of the storm. By December 2005, Biloxi casinos began to reopen: First, the IP Casino, followed by the Isle of Capri Casino.
When COVID entered our lives, Biloxi casinos once again had to exercise a “Plan B.” On March 16, 2020, the Mississippi Gaming Commission issued an edict that all casinos would close at midnight. After an acceptable health-conscious pause, Biloxi casinos began to reopen for business, and people were lined up outside. Patrons were greeted with social distancing, masks, and health/safety protocols. They were also provided with a new amenity: hand sanitizers, which are still found at casinos and other business establishments today.
Dividing the Piggy Bank
Have you ever wondered what Biloxi does with all that casino revenue? The City of Biloxi’s website clearly explains that gaming revenue is taxed at 8 percent. Of that amount, 3.2 percent is returned to Biloxi. Biloxi is entrusted to divide those monies among several coffers: city general fund, city public safety, city public education, county public education, and county public safety.
The city of Biloxi’s website reports casino revenue by month from 1992 through 2024. Visit online at https://biloxi.ms.us/resources/gaming-revenues/.
Recently, Biloxi casino gaming has been bumped up to the next level. In 2018, the Mississippi State legislature permitted sports betting inside its casinos. This allowed wagers to be placed on huge TV screens from the comfort of luxurious seating areas.
Our local bus service, CTA/Coast Transit Authority, provides an added amenity to our Biloxi casinos. For a small fare, one can travel from casino to casino in Biloxi on its trolley-type vehicle called the Casino Hopper and westward to the Treasure Bay Casino on the Beachcomber trolley.
Unlike many casinos in other cities, our local casinos offer the luxury of free parking at all locations.
Epilogue
While we continue to celebrate Biloxi’s successful 32nd birthday in the casino industry, we must also remember that August is also the 19th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (i.e., August 29, 2005). Not only did the Coast pause their lives to recover from this monstrous event, but our casinos also took an unexpected, disastrous beating. Nonetheless, the resiliency of the City of Biloxi and our casino industry has marched forward to become the bigger and better industry that stands today.
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