Global Gambling Expo Talks

At the recent Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, talks were engaged regarding the state taxing policies of casinos in Amerca. The question now is whether the American casino gambling industry is being unfairly persecuted or is just flat out being greedy. With the biased persecution to end online casino gambling in the United States, now may just be a good time to speak out about any other inconvenience the American government is inflicting on the gambling industry.

However, it seems the casino tax issue has been going on for quite some time. MGM Mirage has made substantial layoffs due to what they claim is unreasonable and drastic taxes in the state of Illinois. This has forced the Mirage to now focus its gambling enterprises strictly in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Mississippi. Harrah’s, who was looking to expand more statewide, announced at the Expo that its move to acquire Ceasar’s was due to a change in plans to focus more in the three areas of LV, Atlantic City, and Mississippi. Harrah’s claims the prospects of setting up casinos in other states looks very gleam, even to big-money players.

That the taxes are simply too high was the overriding response heard at the Gambling Expo. The fact that there is a casino within reasonable distance to most of the American population is telling to the fact that the tax is not too high to keep a casino out of business. However, the bigger the pull, the bigger the tax. Most of the smaller casinos, like those found on Indian Reservations or waterways do not bring in as much revenue as say the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, and therefore do not have to pay as much state tax. In Las Vegas, understandably the state tax on casinos is a far less percentage – that’s part of the reason why it has always flourished there.

Illinois’ defense is that other states have good reason to ask for more. First of all, they have a right to do all they can to discourage a large casino from operating in their borders if they really do not want one there. Secondly, it’s not as if MGM Mirage can’t afford to pay higher taxes. As far as Illinois may be concerned, the high-rolling casinos of Las Vegas are getting a little greedy.