The Executive Division oversees the daily operations of the MGC and provides administrative support to the divisions within the Commission. This Division provides direction in the areas of finance, regulation, human resources and also ensures compliance with the self exclusion program. The Executive Division is responsible for developing policies to guide the direction of the agency and the growth and development of the industry to ensure the utmost integrity of gaming in the State of Mississippi.
The Administration Division is responsible for all items relating to purchasing, payroll, human resources and accounting for the agency. Additionally, the Division records and classifies financial information for preparation of reports which provide comparisons of actual expenditures with projected budget totals.
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS)
The MIS Division is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining hardware and software needs to support the electronic data processing for the Mississippi Gaming Commission.
CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
The Criminal Intelligence Division investigates illegal gaming and illegal gaming establishments located throughout the state. This division also assists other law enforcement officers in investigating criminal gaming violations.
The Criminal Investigations Division requires law enforcement certification of its personnel.
The Enforcement Division is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of casinos and ensuring they follow the regulations as outlined by the Mississippi Gaming Commission and the Gaming Control Act. Enforcement Agents monitor the licensed casinos in the state on a routine basis to ensure their operations comply with the statutes, rules and regulations approved by the Commission. The Agents are required to inspect and examine all premises where gaming is conducted or where the devices and equipment are manufactured, sold, or distributed. Agents are also responsible for inspecting all equipment and/or supplies on or about the premises of a licensee. Many of the responsibilities of the agents are performed during routine monitoring visits to the casinos in their respective districts.
The Enforcement Division is responsible for responding to patron complaints/disputes with casinos. Complaints/disputes include the operation of slot machines, gaming table activity, and disputes over alleged winnings, etc. The Division is further responsible for the initial investigation of any suspected criminal activity within licensed casinos. Agents are authorized to make arrests when appropriate.
The Division is headquartered in Jackson; however, the majority of the agents are assigned to field offices in Tunica, Biloxi and Vicksburg.
The Enforcement Division requires law enforcement certification of its enforcement personnel.
The Investigations Division is charged with investigating all gaming, manufacturer and distributor's licenses, findings of suitability, other Commission approvals and reporting all material facts to the Commission. The investigative process is ongoing and continuous by virtue of industry employee turnover, management changes, acquisitions and mergers in the gaming industry.
The Investigations Division is also responsible for maintaining all records of gaming applicants, as well as other documents filed with the MGC.
The Investigations Division requires law enforcement certification of its investigative personnel.
CHARITABLE GAMING (BINGO) DIVISION
The Charitable Gaming Division’s responsibilities include performing background and financial investigations, making recommendations of approval or denial for licenses, record keeping, data input, financial analysis and enforcement of the charitable gaming law.
The investigation of applicants includes conducting findings of suitability for the officers, partners or principals of the applying entities and the bingo supervisors and their alternates.
Enforcement agents of this division conduct both scheduled and unannounced site inspections of licensed bingo organizations to ensure that the games are conducted in compliance with the law and MGC regulations. Licensees may be brought to administrative hearings for various violations which can result in denials for licensure, suspension of a license and/or fines.
This Division staffs both law enforcement personnel and auditors.
The Gaming Laboratory is responsible for approving all electronic gaming devices and firmware, sports book programs, table games, and associated equipment, including Wide-Area Progressive links. The Division establishes procedures for machine verification and assists in patron disputes. In addition to its approval responsibilities, the Division provides technical consultation to other agency divisions relative to gaming equipment and field trials of new products introduced to the Mississippi market.
Since its inception, the Gaming Laboratory Division has maintained an extensive database that serves as a basis for all field inspections conducted by the Enforcement Division. This information is used to verify gaming devices in the field before the games are offered to the public.
The Legal Division of the Commission, staffed by the Office of the Attorney General, represents the Commission and the Executive Director in legal proceedings to which they are a party and advises them in all administrative matters.
The Compliance Division is responsible for routinely examining and reviewing the financial and accounting records of gaming licensees in the State of Mississippi to ensure compliance with internal controls standards, federal and state laws, and Mississippi Gaming Commission Regulations. Examinations include areas such as review engagements, soft count and hard count observations, internal control evaluation, minimum bankroll verifications, cash counts and casino cage reconciliation. The Compliance Division is also responsible for monitoring casinos to ensure that assets are properly safeguarded and no unusual activity is occurring with the corporate and financial records. This includes industry performance analysis, high risk licensee monitoring, financial statement analysis, etc. In addition, the Compliance Division will, monitor licensee's loan and lease transactions, monitor vendor contracts, and monitor associated equipment installed at various casinos.
The Compliance Division is staffed with individuals trained in the specialized field of casino auditing.
The Corporate Securities Division conducts financial and legal investigations of corporations applying for licenses to operate in Mississippi and suitability investigations of any corporate shareholder of a licensee.
The Corporate Securities Division is responsible for the investigation of all registered publicly traded corporations seeking approval for delayed or continuous public offerings. The Corporate Securities Division monitors registered publicly traded corporations, which includes a review of the annual and quarterly SEC filings, forms and reports, press releases, proxy statements, and all other corporate related reports submitted to the SEC as required by the Securities Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934.
The Corporate Securities Division also prepares and submits Agenda Recommendations on a monthly basis for the monthly meetings of the agency. These Agenda Recommendations include, but are not limited to, licensures, findings of suitability, registration of publicly traded corporations, registration of holding companies, transfers of equity interests or securities, foreign gaming approvals, acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations, delayed or continuous public offerings, as well as affirmative stock pledges, negative stock pledges, imposition of stock restrictions and guarantee of securities and hypothecation of assets.
The Work Permit Division is responsible for performing background checks, issuing work permits and maintaining the database of all applicants in positions requiring a work permit. The Work Permit Division is presently on-line with AFIS, (Automated Fingerprinting Identification System) whereby an applicant’s background is investigated prior to the issuing of a gaming permit.
Work permits are issued to gaming employees who are employed in gaming areas, sensitive positions and/or positions where money is handled or authority is given for providing complimentary services or benefits.
The work permit division requires law enforcement certification of its personnel.
|
|
