The casino industry in Mississippi contributes $4 billion each year to the state’s economy, according to a new Oxford Economics study released Thursday by the American Gaming Association.

The study measures how the industry impacts local business.

Even with the increased competition from other states, Mississippi’s casino industry supports 37,000 jobs, with 25,000 direct jobs, 4,400 indirect jobs at companies that supply the casinos and 7,200 induced jobs at businesses that benefit from the casino employees and suppliers.

That is one out of every 10 jobs in the state supported by the industry, the study says. Without these 37,000 jobs, Mississippi’s unemployment rate would rise from 7.7 percent to 11.7 percent.

The study also shows casinos generate $944 million in annual federal, state and local tax revenue, which is enough to pay the salaries of nearly 30,300 teachers. Mississippi casinos pay $353 million in state and local taxes, including $172 million in sales tax each year, along with $19 million in personal income taxes and $98 million in property taxes.

“This study shows that gaming is driving big results in Mississippi,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “However, given increased competition and changing consumer demands, our future success depends on strong partnerships with policymakers that allow us to innovate, reinvest and create more jobs.”