Vicksburg casino taxes deliver millions, but schools see the smallest share

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — When Mississippi legalized casino gaming in the early 1990s, public debate often centered on promises that schools would benefit from new tax dollars. More than 30 years later, the perception still lingers in Vicksburg that gambling revenue is a major direct funding source for local education.

The numbers tell a different story.

In 2024*, Vicksburg’s four casinos paid more than $7 million to the state through the 3.2% gaming revenue tax. Under state law, those dollars are divided with 10% going to schools, 25% to Warren County, and 65% to the city of Vicksburg. However, that 10% is evenly divided between the school district and Hinds Community College.

According to the school district’s report of $702k for schools for 2024, that distribution meant roughly:

• Vicksburg Warren School District: $351K (5%)
• Hinds County Community College: $351K (5%)
• Warren County: $1.8M (25%)
• City of Vicksburg: $4.5M (65%)

Based on those numbers, the city emerged as the largest beneficiary, receiving roughly $4.5 million. The Vicksburg Warren School District, on the other hand, received just over $350,000.

“There’s 10% that education gets of the [gaming] tax revenue generated in Warren County,” said Bryan Pratt, District 1 school board vice president, in a public budget meeting in August. “The schools get 10%, not VWSD. Hinds Community College gets 5% of that. Hinds Community College has 1300-1400 students. We have 6,000 students. There’s a big difference.”

To put that in perspective, the Vicksburg Warren School District’s proposed FY2026 budget totals $80.8 million. The casino tax contribution accounts for less than 0.5% of the district’s overall funding.

The casino tax structure also dates back to the early 1990s, when gaming was first legalized in Mississippi. Although the narrative still lingers that schools are the beneficiary of those funds, in practice, schools receive the smallest share of the gaming tax.

*Editor’s note: 2025 casino tax revenue number’s were incomplete at the time of this writing.