Riverboat Casinos: Gambling Afloat
The popularity of riverboat casinos catapulted when it was legalized in Iowa in the 90's. Initially the riverboat casinos were only allowed to charge $5 bets and a maximum of $200 loss per gambling passenger. As business progresses, riverboat casinos began sprouting in Illinois and Mississippi, where casinos can operate 24 hours daily with no limitations. Come 1994, Missouri was the last state to authorize riverboat casino operations.
The states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri and Mississippi are the only six states that have legalized riverboat casinos. Riverboat casinos look a lot like vintage boats that usually remain stationery at the dockside or cruise along the waters for sometime. In Mississippi, riverboat casinos are permanently docked with planks linking the casino to the shore. Some riverboat casinos are decked on huge barges; specifically designed to showcase the desired effect.
Many of the riverboat casinos that operate on the Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio rivers are also allowed to operate on the Illinois, Des Plaines and Ohio rivers. The ones in Illinois are an exemption. There are certain gambling limitations for riverboat casinos in every state; these limitations include number of passengers allowed, type of gambling games, entry fees, cruising hours and gambling time.
Riverboat casinos offer a variety of games such as blackjack, poker, roulette, slots, craps and video poker. There are also other forms of entertainment, like live shows and performances, dancing and others. Dining is never a problem either; riverboat casinos usually have their own kitchens and restaurants.
There are some famous riverboat casinos like the Argosy Vi in the state of Indiana that has 80 table games and 2300 slots, and can accommodate 4000 guest passengers; the Mississippi Belle II in the state of Iowa; and the grand Victoria casino located in Illinois.
The largest floating casino in the world belongs to the Ameristar Casino in the state of Missouri. Mississippi's famous riverboat casino, the three-deck Tunica Queen offers afternoon and evening cruises. A more recent riverboat casino is the L'Auberge du Lac in the state of Louisiana which has a single-level deck, an area of 30000 square feet, 1600 slots and 60 table games. The state of Louisiana has its own famous riverboat casino, the Treasure Chest which offers various poker games and has 1000 slot machines on board.
The introduction of riverboat casinos in some states, or others may call it 'gambling cruises' have provided millions in revenue and many job opportunities to local folks. The affordability and the many services that each riverboat casino offers make it appealing to everyone. Natural disasters may temporarily deter the operations of these riverboat casinos, but there's always a way to rebuild and reopen for business as demands call for it.
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