If Mississippi`s casinos, trashed by Hurricane Katrina, do not rebuild, it could cost the state thousands of jobs and billions in taxes and earnings.

All 13 of the region`s casinos in Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis are closed and more than half were destroyed by the hurricane. Mississippi is losing $500,000 in gambling taxes every day.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission reports that talks with gambling companies indicates a hesitancy to rebuild -- especially if the state continues requiring that casinos operate only on water in floating barges, CNN reported Tuesday.

Mississippi`s 'offshore' gambling industry provides nearly $3 billion a year in revenue and $333 million in tax revenue, plus 14,000 jobs.