Al Hopkins, chairman of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, has passed away at 81.
Hopkins, who would have turned 82 on Tuesday, served as the commission’s chairman since 2015 and was reconfirmed in April 2022.
Hopkins was also a former assistant adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard and retired with the rank of major general. He served 13 years as chief judge of the U.S. Court of Military Appeals.
Hopkins had a rich Mississippi educational background. He possessed bachelor’s degrees in English and history from Delta State University and earned his juris doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from William Carey University and an honorary master of laws degree in law from Mississippi College School of Law.
During his time with the Mississippi Gaming Commission, Hopkins, a Gulfport native, oversaw the 2018 legalization of sports betting on the property of any of the state’s 28 casinos that offer a sportsbook.
The late chairman is survived by his wife and two children. As of now, no funeral arrangements have been announced.
