BILOXI (AP) — Gov. Haley Barbour says he will ask the Legislature to limit casinos to counties where they are already located.

Barbour’s comments came Thursday in a speech at the Southern Gaming Summit in Biloxi.

Barbour said he would present the casino moratorium issue to lawmakers in an upcoming special session. A similar bill failed in the 2008 regular session that ended in April.

“To consider closing the window and saying we will not expand gaming beyond the counties where it is now. I think that’s the right policy,” Barbour said.

Barbour said he may ask lawmakers to reconsider a casino tax incentive, a proposal that also failed in the regular session, but only if it has the votes to pass. The proposal would have given casinos tax breaks for building non-gaming projects like hotels and golf courses.

Mississippi casino operators got some good news: Barbour said casino taxes are high enough.

“We shouldn’t raise the tax on gaming. We have the third lowest tax rate in the country. And I don’t think it’s coincidence that we have the third largest industry of any state in the country,” the governor said.

Barbour said he would oppose a lottery in Mississippi.

“If you want to have a tax on the poor, a lottery is about the perfect tax on the poor,” he said.

Barbour praised the gaming industry for its contributions in helping revive the coast after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

“The future for the Mississippi Gulf Coast is incredibly bright and for your industry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Because you’re going to have stability. You’re going to have stability as long as I’m governor,” said Barbour.

___