Illegal Poker in Mississippi

The spreading of illegal video gambling machines in Mississippi, has led to great loses in tax profit for the state.

There are 82 counties In Mississippi, and approximately 100 gambling machines in each county. This phenomenon is very difficult to monitor .although it is illegal, the police does not take it as a high priority criminal offense enough so there are almost no arrest of the owners of these halls or confiscation of the video poker machines. Gaming officials do not have the manpower to enforce the problem. Even if a video poker hall is shut down, there is no guarantee it would stay that way. The few cases on illegal video poker machines did not even get to court.

High Profits

According to Commission investigators, for those who purchase the poker machines, the profit is around 100 dollars a day and more per machine. When an illegal video machine is found it is allowed, according to state law, to confiscate the machine as well as the profits from the machine. The police can also boycott the alcohol license of places that have these illegal poker machines in there possession.

Victimless Crime

Many of these machines owners and even citizens who enjoy playing, claim they do not understand why these machines are illegal and they do not consider having them in halls as a crime. Others believe it is a crime, but a victimless crime. The state officials claims otherwise, according to the police's findings, the poker machines are usually found in low income neighborhoods, so the spread of this phenomenon encourages poor people to spend money they do not have.

Addictive Gaming

Another problem is that the machines are found as addictive, according to a 1999 federal report by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission. According to the gaming commission, the game machines operate a high speed game which makes the player unaware of the amount of time and money he spends on the game. Even a nickel machine can make a person spend a lot of money while playing. The machines are not operated by people, so it is a job consumer rather than a job provider. According to the gaming commission, unlike other casino games, such as card games that takes longer, the video machines makes a compulsive gaming habit.

Another victim of this crime, state officials, is the state who loses a lot of unpaid tax money.

At states, where the poker machines are legal, the state's profit from video poker can go up to several hundred million dollars. States such as Louisiana rakes in nearly $380 million in net profit a year.