riverboat gambling types

How Riverboat Gambling Became Riverboat Gaming

Kevin has been involved in the gambling industry since the ‘80s. From winning tournaments to casino management, he’s ultimately done it all. Throughout the years, he’s written for various iGaming publications on topics such as the legal landscape of online casinos and strategies behind winning. His favorite game is blackjack.

Cash-strapped states across the South and Midwest in the late eighties and early nineties were desperate for a new source of cash revenue that didn’t raise taxes. Gambling seemed like an easy way out, but it was going to be a hard sell to dubious voters.

But what if they used the allure of the old riverboat gambling myths and the promise of using the riverboat casinos to keep the gambling scourge at arm’s length from impacted communities? Could they sell this new, sanitized riverboat gaming to their constituents?

The Evolution of Gaming on America’s Rivers

We will explore the history of riverboat gaming in America from the early 19th century right into the 21st. We will discuss how it morphed and was delicately managed to become a product that a broad number of people could support a few decades ago, before starting another slow decline, and we take a closer look at some of its few bright remaining stars.

• ⛴ The History of Riverboat Gambling
• ⛴ The Beginnings of Riverboat Gaming
• ⛴ A Few of the Best Riverboat Casinos Remaining
• ⛴ Conclusion

The History of Riverboat Gambling

The first steamboat to make the trip down the Ohio and then the Mississippi was aptly named New Orleans, and she made her inaugural trip in 1811. For the next 100 years, these boats would define commerce along the nation’s mighty rivers. And with commerce comes con men.

The huge sums of money that came from moving much of the fledgling nation’s goods up and down the rivers would prove to be a powerful temptation. While much of the gambling that soon developed on these long, slow trips along the river was legal, many of the men who came to play were on the wrong side of the law .

Not even two decades into the new steamboat trade and there were articles in the Eastern papers about the con men, card sharps, and confidence scams being run on every bumpkin that set foot on a boat. In 1835, the townsfolk in Vicksburg had had enough; they lynched 5 of the “professional gamblers” and burned every Faro table in town, which was stated to be in the dozens.

Much like the frontiersman who preceded them and the Wild West lawmen who would come later, these sharply dressed, supremely confident riverboat gamblers who plied their way on the steamboats of the Mississippi using only their luck and some “skills” they’d picked up along the way were the subject of many salacious headlines and stories in their day. Despite their many obvious flaws, an almost reverence was bestowed on them as archetypical American heroes.

The Beginnings Of Riverboat Gaming

The hay day of the Riverboat gambler started to fade in the 1860s during the Civil War, and then with the advent of railroads, they were soon all but forgotten. But in the early 1990s, states desperate for tax revenue and looking at the success of Las Vegas and Atlantic City decided to retest the waters of riverboat gambling.

This time, it was a way of introducing limited casino operations only along the waterways of the State’s rivers, selling it to their constituents as a diversion and pastime. Thus, the term riverboat gaming was needed . This was to be entertainment and frivolity, none of those card sharps and hustlers from the good ole days. So, a new term was coined.

Iowa led the riverboat race with the Diamond Lady in Bettendorf in April 1991. But riverboat gaming would soon come to Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana , and other states along the Mississippi and other large rivers like the Missouri and Ohio and even the Fox and Red Rivers.

Used mainly as a stalking horse for the eventual opening of land-based casinos in most of these states, many gamblers found the cramped quarters, the limited selection of slots and tables, and most egregious of all, the ability to only embark or disembark while the boat was at the pier, to be a let down from the Las Vegas style experience that they had been promised.

In Iowa, the first land-based casinos made an appearance in just three years. In every State, some accommodations were made , from no longer having to cruise the dangerous rivers to being allowed to move on to barges over the river to being able to move to land as long as you were adjacent to the river. This was a push generally called dock-side gaming, which meant that the actual return of elegant paddle wheelers with blackjack, roulette, and slot machines prowling the Mississippi again lasted less than a decade.

Dock-side gaming was far safer and allowed gamblers to come and go as they pleased , which drove casino revenues much higher. Also, the ability in some states to move either onto barges or land-based casinos adjacent to piers saw some spectacular casinos get built that could finally meet the promise of a Las Vegas experience.

A Few Of The Best Riverboat Casinos Remaining

If you are going to visit one of the grand old ladies of the river, we think that you should start with the actual riverboats that once traveled the Mississippi, and of these, the Amelia Belle is one of the most iconic .

Situated about an hour and a half outside New Orleans, deep in Cajun Country, this beautiful riverboat gambling hall has over 30,000 square feet of gaming space , 800 slots, and a dozen table games. Before she was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, she sailed up the river from the port of New Orleans several times a day in the mid-90s, but she now sits permanently in Bayou Bouef, her expedition days behind her.

Since Louisiana has kept its premise of at least gambling on a boat, even if its moored in a giant pool or cemented to the dock, longer than most other of the original riverboat casino states, it’s no wonder we can find most of the truly breathtaking and best riverboat casinos there.

Another of the must-see gambling boats sits on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana. Chosen for its 20-minute proximity to the Texas border and only two and a half hours drive from Dallas, Shreveport was once a thriving riverboat gambling town and one of the country’s premier riverboat casino locations. But the Indian tribes in Oklahoma, which sit only an hour outside of Dallas to the North, have taken some of their business.

Still, there are several other riverboats operating in Shreveport, but what we think makes the Sam’s Town Property, one of the best riverboat casinos in Louisiana , is that they’ve turned a 30,000-square-foot gaming boat into a destination resort. They have a 500+ room hotel directly adjacent and tied into the property with four restaurants including a really nice steak house and lots of other amenities. The boat itself has over 1000 slots and more than 27 table games.

One of the best riverboat casinos outside of Louisiana is the Grand Victoria in Elgin, Illinois. Built back in 1995, she was spared the dangers of cruising the Fox River in 1999, when Illinois was one of the last states to end their riverboat gaming rules that required the boats to leave their docks. Today, this 30,000-foot boat has room for 1100 slots and almost 30 tables and even sports an onboard buffet and three other restaurants. She is one of the prettier examples of the early 1990s boats that you will see as well, and it is well worth your time to get a good vantage point and take in her lines.

While both the age of riverboat gamblers and its more recent short-lived renaissance of riverboat gaming are now a thing of the past, the allure of cruising the mighty Mississippi while making your living playing cards and shooting dice will probably live on into the distant future. There is something about the water flowing past and the land slipping by out the window that just seems to call for a quick hand of poker or a spin on the roulette wheel.

It’s a call back to a time when the men and women who traveled these waterways were used to risking everything in order to follow their dreams. Get out there and check out some of those boats, wander the decks, play a hand or two of blackjack, and contemplate that river streaming by while you still have a chance to see a dying American breed , the last of the riverboat casinos.

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A Guide To The Most Iconic Riverboat Casinos In The US 

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Talk about casino destinations and you’ll most likely think of Las Vegas, Atlantic City or, if you are travelling outside the US, maybe Monaco or Macau.

Yet what are called “land based” or “bricks and mortar” casinos to differentiate them from the online versions are not necessarily on land or made of bricks and mortar.” To: “Yet what are called “land based” or “bricks and mortar” casinos to differentiate them from the online versions like 1xbet India online casino, are not necessarily on land or made of bricks and mortar.

We refer, of course, to riverboat casinos, a little slice of Americana that’s as American as Super Bowl Sunday or Thanksgiving turkey. Riverboat casinos conjure up images of the Mississippi and Mark Twain complete with white suit, top hat and cigar. There are more than 60 riverboat casinos operating in the USA and every single one of them has a story to tell. Here, we highlight a handful of the very best.

The Grand Victoria, Elgin

Our first stop is not on the Mississippi at all, but on the Fox River in Elgin, 50 miles north west of Chicago . Owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, the Grand Victoria really is a slice of Las Vegas on the Illinois waterfront.  With more than 1,000 slots and video poker terminals and 36 tables, there’s a great choice of games.

If all that gambling whets your appetite, there are four dining options on board, including the highly rated Buckingham’s Steakhouse and Lounge.

Casino Queen, Marquette  

The Casino Queen would look like a lifeboat if it was moored alongside the Grand Victoria, but that is all part of its charm. It offers a more intimate and personalized experience, and although there are only eight tables, they host an intriguing variety of games that are not commonly found in land (or water) based casinos. If you know how to gamble online in the US , you’ve probably seen fusion blackjack and 21+3 at US online casinos. The Casino Queen gives you an opportunity to play them in real casino surroundings.

When you step ashore, there is an adjacent 31-acre entertainment complex with a variety of attractions and a huge choice of dining options.

The Amelia Belle, Amelia  

At last, we arrive in Louisiana, where the Amelia Belle lies nestled in the Avoca Island Cutoff waterway. This classic four-story riverboat looks like it has stepped straight out of a photograph from the turn of the 20 th century. When it is lit up at night, it takes your breath away.

At the tables, poker is the order of the day. The casino offers Mississippi stud, 3-card poker and Texas Holdem. There are also 800 slot games, while the Fanduel sportsbook has self-service betting kiosks, a wall full of television screens, and a huge video wall to show the biggest events.

Sam’s Town, Shreveport

On the opposite side of Louisiana, Sam’s Town could not be more different to the Amelia Belle. This floating leisure complex houses a hotel, health spa, sauna and live entertainment venue.

The casino offers more than 1,000 slots and 30 table games that include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Let it Ride and Craps No More.

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Legends of America

Traveling through american history, destinations & legends since 2003., gambling in the old west.

Depiction of Faro in Tonopah, Nevada, in 1905

Whether on a riverboat atop the Mighty Mississippi River or in the smoky dimness of a mining camp saloon , a lucky draw could turn a broken man into a winner. In the days of the frontier  west , poker was king with the mustachioed likes of Wild Bill Hickok , Doc Holliday , “ Canada” Bill Jones , Wyatt Earp , Bat Masterson , and hundreds of others.

In the old west towns of Deadwood , Dodge City , Tombstone , and Virginia City , gamblers played with their back to the wall and their guns at their sides, as dealers dealt games with names such as Chuck-A-Luck, Three Card Monte, High Dice, and Faro , by far the favorite in the wild west saloons.

The exact origin of poker is unknown, but many have speculated that it originated from the 16th-century Persian card game called As Nas. Played with a 25-card deck containing five suits, the rules were similar to today’s Five Card Stud. Others are of the opinion that it was invented by the Chinese in 900 A.D. In all likelihood, the game derived from elements of various gambling diversions that have been around from the beginning of time.

Poker in the United States was first widely played in New Orleans by French settlers playing a card game that involved bluffing and betting called Poque in the early 1800s. This old poker game was similar to the “draw poker” game today. New Orleans evolved as America’s first gambling city as riverboat men, plantation owners, and farmers avidly pursued the betting sport.

John Davis opened the first American gambling casino in New Orleans around 1822. The club, open 24 hours a day, provided gourmet food, liquor, roulette wheels, Faro tables, poker, and other games. Davis also made certain that painted ladies were never far away. Dozens of imitators soon followed, making the gaming dens the primary attraction of New Orleans. The city’s status as an international port and its thriving gambling industry created a new profession called the card “sharper.”

Professional gamblers and cheats gathered in a waterfront area known as “the swamp,” an area even the police were afraid to frequent, and any gambler lucky enough to win stood a good chance of losing his earnings to thieves outside of the gambling rooms and saloons.

Gambling was outlawed in the rest of the huge Louisiana territory in 1811, but New Orleans continued to enjoy the prosperity brought by gambling for more than 100 years. Though the law was passed for the entire Louisiana Purchase, it was obviously not enforced, and casinos and gambling began to spread.

As commerce developed on the waterways, gambling traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, then westward via covered wagons, and later on the railroad. The first written reference in the United States came from Jonathan H. Greer in 1834 when he referred to the amusement as the “cheating game.”

Some of the first gambling dens outside of New Orleans were started in river towns that were popular with both travelers and professional gamblers. It was here that many “sharpers” preyed on these transient people, with their pockets filled with their life savings, on the way to the new frontier. The dishonest gamblers also often ran confidence games and other con artist businesses in order to gaff the unwary pioneers. A host of companies specialized in manufacturing and selling card cheating devices. One riverboat gambler named George Devol was so proud of his ability to slip a stacked deck into a game that he once used four of them in one poker hand, dealing four aces to each of his four opponents.

It was professional gamblers who were largely responsible for the poker boom. Considering themselves as entrepreneurs, they took advantage of America’s growing obsession with gambling. Though they had a high opinion of themselves, the public viewed them with disdain, considering them as contributing nothing to society. This viewpoint was often warranted in many cases, as a large number of professional gamblers often cheated in order to win. To be successful, professional gamblers had to have irresistible personalities in order to attract men to play with them. Often dressing in dandy clothes, their success depended partly on chance and partly on skill, sometimes on sleight of hand, and in the Old West , their shooting abilities. By the 1830s, citizens began to blame professional gamblers for any and every crime in the area, and gambling itself began to be attacked.

James Bowie

It was during these riverboat gambling heydays that an interesting story occurred in 1832. On a Mississippi steamboat, four men were playing poker, three of which were professional gamblers, and the fourth, a hapless traveler from Natchez. Soon, the young, naïve man had lost all his money to the rigged game. Devastated, the Natchez man planned to throw himself into the river; however, an observer prevented his suicide attempt and then joined the card game with the “sharps.” In the middle of a high-stakes hand, the stranger caught one of the professionals cheating and pulled a knife on the gambler, yelling, “Show your hand! If it contains more than five cards, I shall kill you!” Six cards fell to the table when he twisted the cheater’s wrist. Immediately, the stranger took the $70,000 pot, returning $50,000 to the Natchez man and keeping $20,000 for his trouble. Shocked, the Natchez man stuttered, “Who the devil are you, anyway?” to which the stranger responded, “I am James Bowie .”

Anxious citizens of these river port towns grew increasingly wary of the confidence men that were multiplying so quickly. In Vicksburg, Mississippi , the citizens’ rage had become so increased by 1835 that a vigilante group lynched five cardsharps. Soon after this, many of the gamblers moved onto the riverboats, benefiting from the transient riverboat lifestyle.

After the Civil War , America pushed its boundaries West , where the frontier was born of speculators, travelers, and miners. These hardy pioneers had high risk-taking characteristics, making any gambling situation a popular pastime for these rough-and-tumble men of the frontier. In virtually every mining camp and prairie town, a poker table could soon be found in each saloon, surrounded by prospectors, lawmen , cowboys , railroad workers, soldiers , and outlaws for a chance to tempt fortune and fate.

During the California Gold Rush of 1849, gambling houses sprouted up all over northern California , offering a wide array of gaming tables, musicians, and pretty women to entertain the gamblers as they played. At this time, dance halls began to appear and spread throughout later settlements. While these saloons usually offered games of chance, their chief attraction was dancing. The customer generally paid 75¢ to $1.00 for a ticket to dance, with the proceeds being split between the dance hall girl and the saloon owner. After the dance, the girl would steer the gentleman to the bar, where she would make an additional commission from selling a drink.

A popular girl would average 50 dances a night, sometimes making more a night than a working man could make in a month. Dance hall girls made enough money that it was very rare for them to double as a prostitute. In fact, many former “ soiled doves ” found they could make more money as a dance hall girl.

As the Gold Rush gained momentum, San Francisco replaced New Orleans as the United States’ gambling center. Over 100 thriving saloons and brothels met the sailors and fortune-seeking travelers as they disembarked at the San Francisco harbor and stumbled into the infamous Barbary Coast Waterfront District.

Playing Poker

Faro was by far the most popular and prolific game played in Old West saloons, followed by Brag, Three-card-monte, and dice games such as High-low, Chuck-a-luck, and Grand hazard. During this time, gambling also began inviting more diversity, including Hispanics, blacks, Chinese, and women in the games. Three of this time’s more famous women gamblers were Calamity Jane , Poker Alice , and Madame Mustache .

Before long, many of the Old West mining camps, such as Deadwood , Leadville , and Tombstone , became as well known for gunfights over card games than they did for their wealth of gold and silver ore. Professional gamblers such as Doc Holliday and Wild Bill Hickok learned early to hone their six-shooter skills at the same pace as their gambling abilities. Taking swift action upon the green cloth became part of the gamblers’ code – shoot first and ask questions later.

One such occasion that clearly showed the quick and violent code was when Doc Holliday was dealing Faro to a local bully named Ed Bailey in Fort Griffin , Texas . Bailey was unimpressed with Doc’s reputation, and in an attempt to irritate him, he kept picking up the discards and looking at them. Peeking at the discards was strictly prohibited by the rules of Western Poker, a violation that could force the player to forfeit the pot.

Though Holliday warned Bailey twice, the bully ignored him and picked up the discards again. This time, Doc raked in the pot without showing his hand or saying a word. Bailey immediately brought out his pistol from under the table, but Doc’s lethal knife slashed the man across the stomach before the man could pull the trigger. With blood spilled everywhere, Bailey lay sprawled out dead across the table.

Inevitably, there were liquored-up miners and cowboys who would shoot up the saloons and sometimes the poker winner when they were angered by their losses. Even Wild Bill Hickok, mostly known for his heroics and prowess with a six-shooter, took advantage of those abilities when faced with a loss in Deadwood, South Dakota . Shortly before midnight, after a night of drinking and gambling, Hickok was playing a two-handed game with a man named McDonald when the stakes began to increase with every card dealt.

When the hand was complete and the middle of the table piled high with money, McDonald showed his hand, displaying three jacks. To this, Hickok responded, “I have a full house – aces over sixes,” then threw his hand face down upon the table. However, when McDonald picked up Hickok’s hand, he exclaimed, “I see only two aces and one six.” Wasting no time, Wild Bill drew his six-shooter with his right hand and replied, “Here’s my other six.” Then he flashed a bowie knife with his left hand, stating, “And here’s my one spot.” McDonald immediately backed down, saying coolly, “That hand is good. Take the pot.”

By the end of the 19th century, gambling had spread like wildfire through the many mining camps, multiplying as the gold and silver hunters spread across the West, searching for new strikes. At this time, states and cities started to take advantage of these growing ventures by taxing gambling dens and raising money for their communities.

During the late 1800s, many towns and states across the western frontier began to enact new laws against gambling. Attempting to gain new levels of respectability, the laws primarily targeted the “professional gambler” more than gaming in general. Some types of gambling were made illegal, while limits were established on others. Initially, anti-gaming laws were weak and had little real effect on gambling, as they were difficult to enforce, establishments simply introduced new variants, and penalties were light.

Faro gambling card game about 1900.

However, the laws were gradually strengthened,; ironically, Nevada was one of the first states in the West to make gambling illegal in 1909. Other states soon followed suit, and true to the worst fears of the Puritans, gangsters combined liquor and gambling in the cities of New York, Cleveland, and Chicago during the 1920s.

By the time the Hoover Dam was constructed in 1931, Nevada relaxed its gambling laws, and casinos once more began to flourish. By 1939, there were six casinos and 16 saloons in Las Vegas . As automobile traffic increased and people began to travel more for leisure, Las Vegas began to boom into the gambling Mecca it is today.

Over the years, poker has evolved through legitimate casinos and backroom games to its many present variations. Over the last decades, several states have reintroduced gambling in limited formats, and the fastest-growing gambling opportunity today doesn’t even require you to leave your home as you log onto your computer to tempt the fates. Carefully regulated by gaming laws, poker is now the most popular card game in the world.

© Kathy Alexander / Legends of America , updated October 2023.

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The Legacy and Historical Influence of Riverboat Casinos in the United States

Welcome aboard as we set sail into the captivating world of riverboat casinos in the United States . On this page, we’ll walk you through their legal status and historical implications, explore the where, what, and why of these floating gaming venues, and finally, take a close look at the modern condition of riverboat gambling.

As we explore the ins and outs of this unique chapter in American gaming history, we’ll also take a glance at if riverboat casinos have left a mark on the WV online gambling scene and gambling in the US in general.

• Legal Status of Riverboat Gambling
• Boat Casinos Regulation in Various States
• History of Riverboat Gambling
• Popular Riverboat Casinos

The Legal Status of Riverboat Gambling

Historically, casino boats were allowed in many states, mostly those with access to the Mississippi River. Today, only six states still allow this form of gambling:

Mississippi

Gambling boats are essentially floating casinos operating on designated waterways . They offer a wide variety of gambling activities just like land-based casinos, including slots , table games , and poker .

Each state with legal riverboat gambling has its own regulatory body responsible for licensing and ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations. These regulations typically address aspects such as gambling activities allowed, revenue sharing with the state, security measures, responsible gambling practices, and environmental considerations.

While sharing similarities with land-based casinos, riverboat casinos face additional regulations due to their unique setting, such as:

• Licensing requirements . Land-based casinos typically have more stringent licensing requirements than riverboat casinos. For instance, land-based casinos may be required to undergo a more rigorous background check and financial audit process compared to riverboat casinos;
• Location restrictions . There are usually fewer restrictions on riverboat casino locations than on those of the brick-and-mortar venues. For instance, land-based casinos might not be allowed to operate in certain areas, such as residential neighborhoods or near schools. Riverboat casinos, in turn, are more flexible when it comes to location, as they can be moored on rivers that flow through various areas;
• Taxation . The taxation of land-based casinos and riverboat casinos can vary depending on the state. In some cases, land-based casinos may be subject to higher tax rates than riverboat casinos;
• Building codes . Land-based casinos are typically required to meet more stringent building codes than riverboat casinos. This is because land-based casinos are permanent structures, while riverboat casinos are considered temporary structures;
• Inspection and enforcement . Land-based casinos usually undergo more frequent inspections and stricter enforcement of regulations compared to riverboat casinos.

Generally, the regulation of land-based casinos tends to be more strict and comprehensive than the regulation of any casino on the Mississippi River . The reason is likely that land-based casinos are considered to have a greater impact on the surrounding community , both in terms of economic benefits and social costs.

State-by-State Riverboat Gambling Regulations

As of 2024, it’s legal to run and visit a riverboat casino in six states. Let’s take a closer look at each of them:

Here, riverboat casinos are allowed on the Mississippi River , the Illinois River , and the Des Plaines River . The casinos must be located at least 300 feet from the shore and be accessible to the public by land or water . Riverboat casinos in Illinois are regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board .

In Indiana, boat casinos can operate on the Ohio River , the Indiana Harbor , and the Patoka Lake Reservoir . They must be located at least 600 feet from the shore . Riverboat casinos in Indiana are regulated by the Indiana Gaming Commission .

In this state, it’s legal for riverboat casinos to operate on the Mississippi River and the Missouri River . They must be located at least 300 feet from the shore and are regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission .

A riverboat casino in Louisiana is allowed to operate on the Mississippi River , the Red River , and the Gulf of Mexico as long as they are located at least 300 feet from the shore . The casinos here are regulated by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board .

Obviously, a riverboat casino in Mississippi can be located on the Mississippi River at least 300 feet from the shore . Boat casinos in Mississippi are regulated by the Mississippi Gaming Commission .

Last but not least, Missouri riverboat casinos are allowed on the Mississippi River and the Missouri River at least 300 feet from the shore . Riverboat casinos in Missouri are regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission .

Brief History of Riverboat Casinos

Explore the history of riverboat casinos in the United States, tracing their origins, development, and impact on both the gambling industry and American culture.

19th Century: The Origins of Riverboat Gambling

The roots of riverboat gambling can be traced back to the 19th century when steamboats were the primary mode of transportation along the Mississippi River. As passengers went on long journeys, gambling became a popular pastime to pass the time. While gambling activities were generally illegal on land at that time, boats provided a loophole, as they were considered to be outside of state jurisdiction.

Early 20th Century: Decline and Revival

The invention of railroads in the early 20th century led to a logical decline in riverboat travel, and respectively, riverboat gambling. However, the 1970s saw a reappearance of interest in riverboat casinos, primarily because of the push to revitalize urban areas.

1990s: Expansion and Legalization

The 1990s marked a period of significant growth for riverboat casinos. Several states legalized riverboat gambling, and the industry expanded rapidly. By the late 1990s, there were over 150 riverboat casinos operating in the United States.

2005: Hurricane Katrina and Its Devastating Blow

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, causing widespread destruction and displacement. The storm severely impacted the boat casino industry in Mississippi and Louisiana, with several casinos suffering significant damage or complete destruction.

Late 2010s: Post-Katrina Recovery and Adaptation

The consequences of Hurricane Katrina brought significant changes to the riverboat casino industry. While some casinos managed to rebuild and reopen, others had to close permanently. The industry also faced increased competition from brick-and-mortar casinos, which were gaining popularity at that time.

Today: A Mature Industry

Today, a casino boat remains a popular form of entertainment in the United States. However, the industry has matured and consolidated, with the number of riverboat casinos decreasing in recent years. Despite these changes, riverboat casinos continue to be an important economic driver in many regions.

Popular Riverboat Casinos in the US

Now that we know all the theory about riverboat gambling, let’s get to practice and take a look at the most popular water casinos in the United States.

The Grand Victoria Casino – Elgin, Illinois

Located along the beautiful Fox River, The Grand Victoria Casino is a home (or rather a boat) of true gaming elegance. Known as the largest riverboat casino in Illinois, it boasts an impressive 65,000 square feet of gaming space including slots, table games, and a poker room. The casino also offers a variety of dining and entertainment options, including a steakhouse, a buffet, and a concert venue.

Ameristar Casino Vicksburg – Vicksburg, Mississippi

The Ameristar Casino Vicksburg is one of the oldest and most crowded riverboat casinos in Mississippi with over 50,000 square feet of gaming space . The wide choice of slots, table games, and poker tables is complemented by all kinds of entertainments, from the flavors of a diverse buffet to comedy clubs and nightclubs.

Horseshoe Casino – Bossier City, Louisiana

The Horseshoe Casino is one of the largest riverboat casinos in Louisiana and one of the most popular. It features over 100,000 square feet of gaming space , including slots, table games, and a poker room. The casino also offers a variety of dining and entertainment options, so players can choose between a steakhouse, a buffet, a concert venue, and others.

Sam’s Town Casino – Shreveport, Louisiana

Sam’s Town Casino is a popular destination for all kinds of gaming enthusiasts in and out of state. With a gaming space of over 34,000 square feet , this casino offers an intimate yet exhilarating experience. Beyond the slots, table games, and poker room, Sam’s Town welcomes gamers to savor a culinary journey with a steakhouse, a buffet, and a unique entertainment experience at the in-house bowling alley.

What is the Diamond Lady casino boat?

The Diamond Lady Riverboat Casino was a paddlewheel riverboat casino that operated on the Mississippi River in Bettendorf, Iowa, from 1991 to 2008. In 2021, the Diamond Lady sank during a severe winter storm. It was later raised and brought to shore, where it remains today. The future of the Diamond Lady is uncertain, but it is possible that it will be restored and reopened as a casino or museum.

Why do casinos have to be on water in the US?

Casinos in the US don’t necessarily have to be on the water, but there are some casinos that are. This practice originated when gambling laws were more restrictive on land, and the association of riverboat gambling with waterborne transportation became a legal requirement in some states.

Why are casinos on the water so popular?

Riverboat casinos are popular for their unique charm and historical allure. The on-water setting offers players a distinctive and memorable gaming experience, contributing to the popularity of these establishments. Additionally, the regulations associated with riverboat gambling create a controlled and regulated environment that appeals to both operators and players.

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There are various areas of the world that just seem synonymous with gambling. When people hear the name Las Vegas they picture gambling of a flashy, mass entertainment proportion. Macau ’ s gambling culture brings a real Asian flavour to gambling, with many inevitably comparing it to Vegas. Monte Carlo delivers gambling connotations of wealth and prestige. Obviously, it is not just physical areas where gambling has a strong presence, with the web and mobile space being  dominated by PartyCasino  and other big names in the industry.

Another, yet somewhat less spectacular, sight that can only be associated with gambling is the steam propelled riverboat of certain states in the USA. How did these iconic vessels come to be known for hosting casinos, and what is the current status of riverboat casinos today?

On Water, But Not Land

There is a network of rivers that penetrate inland from the Gulf of Mexico up through the United States,  most famously the Mississippi River . In the 19 th  Century the rivers provided a fantastic way to transport goods from town to town up and down the bodies of water. This in turn became a popular method of passenger transport, with travellers using the boat to socialise. One of the most popular forms of entertainment was  play at online Irish casino , and therefore this pastime became highly popular aboard the vessels. 

There were also, and still are today, laws that prohibited gambling on land. However, the proprietor s  of these boats took advantage of the loophole not extending these laws to establishments on water. Even today,  riverboats are still to be found on the Mississippi  and is still considered one of the best for cruises. Certain rivers acted as state lines, so it was sometimes argued that the gamblers could not be classified as being in one state or another while steaming down a river.

Railroads and War

As mentioned, the riverboats were first and foremost a means of transportation and enjoyed such success due to it being the quickest and most reliable means of travel and delivery of goods. However, when railroads started to spread across the country, they opened up new routes that got people around in a more direct manner. The trains also cut days off travel and therefore started to overtake the riverboats in popularity.

Around the same time the  American Civil War  broke out, a period where much of the fighting was done in the Southern States which defied the laws laid out by the North. This meant that riverboat entertainment almost came to a complete end.

The Riverboats of Today

Unlike the boats of old, which used to set off on long journeys to various destinations, the vessels of now mostly remain docked and very seldom actually take to the open waters. However, one will still be able to undergo the traditional experience that thousands enjoyed before casinos became what we are familiar with today.

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Rolling on the Rivers – Riverboat Casino

Editorial Staff | Posted on April 10, 2010 |

After 15 years of evolution, riverboat casin o s have become resort destinations in and of themselves

By frank legato.

Consider the term “riverboat casino.” These days, the term conjures up images completely different than when the modern riverboat gaming industry was inaugurated in Iowa some 15 years ago. Back then, riverboat casinos were little more than a means of bailing out state budgets—of clearing red ink in government ledgers without raising taxes.

The idea was to use gambling to raise money, but to restrict it to waterways¬. To distinguish them from “real” casinos, as existed only in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, they would be kept from land, thereby saving “respectable” people from the specter of gambling in their neighborhoods. To give them charm and appeal for gamblers, they would recall the times of Mark Twain, designed as replicas of legendary 19th century paddlewheel steam riverboats on which frontier characters played draw poker while floating lazily up and down the Mississippi River.

Riverboat casinos, once viewed as a necessary evil to communities in which they were legalized, grew to be vital parts of those communities, providing jobs and economic revival to depressed areas, and donating millions to local charities. For the people who played there, the vessels became hot regional destinations, providing escapes for drive-in customers and great gambling deals for the locals.

Anthony Sanfilippo, president of Harrah’s Entertainment’s Central Division, has been operating in the riverboat market since the early days. He has been with Harrah’s for nine years, and he says the past decade has seen changes not only in the way players see riverboat gaming, but in the way communities see the casinos.

“The main difference today is the acceptability of gaming in communities that were considered new jurisdictions 10 years ago,” Sanfilippo says. “Ten years ago, gaming was stereotyped—from movies, mainly—and communities didn’t have an understanding of their economic impact in the local community and state, as well as the ability to bring a whole new type of entertainment experience into their community.”

Those two vessels would eventually grow into what is now Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., but first, Goldstein faced quick competition, both in Iowa and across the river in Illinois. The biggest threat to those first riverboats, though, was Iowa’s own gaming law, which imposed a limit of $5 per bet and a “loss limit” of $200 per person, per cruise. With boats required to cruise during the warm months, that meant if a customer lost $200 in the first half-hour of a two-hour cruise, he was stuck doing nothing for the other hour and a half.

Nearby states were quick to pick up on the fact that gamblers were looking for less restrictive rules. In September of 1991, Illinois launched its riverboat gaming market, with no bet restrictions or loss limits. The following year, Goldstein moved his two original boats to the Gulf Coast to become the first to open in Biloxi with his renamed Isle of Capri casino. Not only did Mississippi allow casinos to operate without betting restrictions; there was no cruising requirement. Vessels were permanently docked, and—for better or worse, as we now know—most were built on barges directly on the water, forming what were essentially floating land-based casinos.

The first riverboat casinos made money through what is known in the trade as “convenience gambling,” meaning people went there solely because it offered gambling close to home. The ability to gamble without traveling to Las Vegas or Atlantic City made up for the fact that typically, one would find slots and table games cramped on several levels of a paddlewheeler. Little comfort, lots of action.

However, as with most forms of entertainment, increased competition ultimately led to better offerings, larger facilities, and a wealth of choice for the player. This was aided by the fact that the Indian gaming market was launched at essentially the same time as the riverboat market. Racinos were not far behind; nor were new land-based commercial casinos in markets like Detroit. Riverboat casinos could no longer afford to be convenience gaming outlets. They now had to compete for their customers with a collection of gaming choices that was not even on the radar of the visionaries who started riverboat gaming in the early 1990s.

Many of the older multi-level paddlewheel riverboats were replaced by massive single-level vessels with as much casino space as many traditional land-based casinos. Riverboat gaming operators expanded landside entertainment and dining complexes, added hotels, and built golf courses.

Riverboat casinos were no longer cramped vessels where gamblers put up with crowded conditions and discomfort for the sake of laying down a bet. They were resorts.

Evolution of the Offering Sanfilippo of Harrah’s says he has watched the riverboat market grow from gambling joints into full-blown destination resorts. “Early on, the experience was centered around pure gambling, with some food offerings,” he says. “Over 10 years, we’ve seen an evolution of our offerings. For example, at our Horseshoe Hammond, we are under way with a complete renovation that will transform the property.”

While many improvements and expansions have been made to the landside dining and entertainment facility, the multi-leveled vessel itself had little room for improvement. The $485-million makeover of Horseshoe Hammond will replace that vessel with a huge riverboat placing all gaming on one level. On the second level of the new boat will feature a state-of-the-art entertainment venue, two celebrity chef restaurants and a 2,500-seat buffet. New shore-side facilities will include Diamond and Seven-Star Lounges for top players. The expansion will be complete in the summer of 2008.

Horseshoe Hammond’s new facility will demonstrate something that has become common over the evolution of the riverboat gaming market: Riverboats these days are destinations, in and of themselves, and they are viable alternatives to the plane trip to Las Vegas or the larger land-based casinos of Atlantic City or Connecticut.

“The (riverboat) markets have evolved to where the non-gaming aspects of the properties are much more important,” says Wade Hundley, president of Pinnacle Entertainment, the Las Vegas-based company that operates two of the most elaborate riverboat properties in the nation, Belterra in Indiana and L’Auberge Du Lac in Lake Charles, Lousiana. “These are entertainment destinations rather than several decks of gaming.”

He adds that at the same time the non-gaming amenities have been proliferating, the riverboat markets have maintained the familiarity with their customers possible only in locals markets. “The riverboat properties will give you more personal attention than many Las Vegas properties,” says Hundley. “Your personal relationship with employees is much more evident, because Las Vegas tourist properties may see customers a couple of times a year, where in regional markets, you see them much more often.”

Hundley predicts that the riverboat market will continue to evolve along the lines of offering the best in non-gaming entertainment and pampering to go with the gaming experience. “Our company believes in building world-class destination resorts,” he says. “That’s the type of property that will be successful in the future. You want to be able to get a free spa visit or a steak dinner, and play a round of golf. People can get these things in Las Vegas, so you have to offer the same kinds of amenities—and they can get them without having to go to an airport, go through security, and go through all the other hassles that come with traveling far away.”

Tourism based on gaming entertainment—it’s a concept that once was confined to markets such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Nowadays, the Midwest riverboat markets offer an experience that is, in the end, worth the trip.

The Gems You will, in fact, find something worth the trip in each riverboat region of the country. Here are a few of the gems to be found in each of the riverboat states:

Iowa Much of the first riverboat gaming market remains as it was when it launched the industry in the early 1990s. While they can now remain docked and can operate without the silly betting restrictions, most of the 10 Iowa riverboats are still simple and small.

The exceptions to this rule are obvious every year when we do our “Best of Gaming” survey. Iowa’s two “category-killer” riverboat casinos are in Council Bluffs—Ameristar and Harrah’s. Over in Bettendorf, Isle of Capri’s second Iowa entry is definitely worth a visit as well.

Ameristar Council Bluffs This massive paddlewheel-style riverboat features around 38,000 square feet of casino space spread over three levels, with 1,651 slots and 31 table games. A great player’s club offers frequent 4X-point days and cashback on both slots and tables. Ameristar would be a typical old-fashioned riverboat casino, except for all the stuff that goes along with the games, much of it on the shore-side complex: great restaurants, including the much-acclaimed Waterfront Grille for the best steaks in the market; a 160-room hotel including eight beautiful luxury suites, 32 unique “king whirlpool rooms” and great river views; lounge entertainment at two cabaret bars, and headliners at the Amerisports Bar. In short, all the casino comforts in a river setting.

Harrah’s Council Bluffs Similar in style to Ameristar—a three-deck paddlewheel vessel with hotels and restaurants on shore facilities—Harrah’s consistently gets our readers’ nod as the best overall riverboat casino hotel in Iowa. With just over 1,000 slots and around 35 table games spread over three levels, the gaming is comparable to Ameristar, with the added benefit of the Harrah’s Total Rewards national player’s club. Harrah’s also is known for its great 240-room hotel; restaurants such as the 360 Steakhouse and the ’50s-style Ace’s Diner; and the hip Stir nightclub.

Isle of Capri Bettendorf Isle deserves honorable mention in Iowa for the property it built in the location of the property that inaugurated the riverboat market, Bettendorf. While gaming offerings are on par with other riverboats its size (like the Council Bluffs boats, it is a three-level, paddlewheel-style vessel), the adjacent 256-room hotel is outstanding, from its elegant lobby to comfortable standard rooms to the fantastic theme suites.

Illinois Illinois has nine riverboats, with the 10th license still wrapped up in the courts with legal challenges from Emerald Casino, Inc., over the revocation of its license.

The other nine riverboat casinos are mostly smaller properties, with a few large gems. There is still a $5 admission fee, although some properties, such as Harrah’s, have waived it if you flash a player’s club card. The best feature of many—and a large reason for their popularity—is proximity to the city of Chicago. In fact, the four Illinois casinos and five Indiana casinos which are all within an hour’s drive of Chicago, and which form the casino market commonly known as “Chicagoland,” constitute the third-highest-grossing casino market in the country.

Gems on the Illinois side of Chicagoland include Harrah’s Joliet and the Grand Victoria in Elgin, but one other Illinois casino far from Chicago deserves honorable mention—the Casino Queen in East St. Louis, on the Missouri border.

Harrah’s Joliet Located around 30 miles from Chicago, Harrah’s Joliet is casino on a barge docked on the Des Plaines River. During the third quarter of 2001, the two existing riverboat casinos, which had been linked by a “transition barge” after Illinois approved dockside gaming in 1999, was replaced with the single-level, Vegas-style casino. Shore-side facilities adjacent to the casino include a pavilion featuring a lounge and a retail shop, and n 11-story luxury hotel with a fitness center. You will find some of the best video poker in Chicagoland here, as well as great headline entertainment at the Stage 151 concert venue.

Grand Victoria Docked on the Fox River in Elgin, around 31 miles from Chicago, the Grand Victoria is a classic paddlewheeler on the outside, but once inside, you’d never know it. The casino’s spacious single-level interior, housing around 30,000 square feet of gaming space, sports the classic elegance of a high-end Las Vegas-style design. Grand Victoria is one of Chicagoland’s most popular casinos, and our readers consistently vote it Best Casino in the market because of good rules on the table games, great cashback and comps, and the best dealers and hosts in the business. If you go, don’t forget to visit Buckingham’s for great steak.

Casino Queen Across the state from the Chicagoland market in East St. Louis, you will find the casino with the loosest slots in the nation. This classic paddlewheel riverboat with its 27,500-square-foot casino did something last year that no other casino in the nation has been able to do: it unseated the Las Vegas locals casinos for the crown of Loosest Slots in the Nation, returning a remarkable 95.13 percent of all wagers to players, in all denominations. Among the other pleasant surprises here are a first-rate hotel, a great sports bar, and a fantastic steakhouse called the Royal Table.

Indiana There are two distinct markets for riverboats in Indiana—the five casinos on the Indiana side of the Chicagoland market, and the southern Indiana casinos along the Ohio river, which serve the Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Kentucky markets. In all, there are 10 riverboat casinos, with an 11th on the way in French Lick, to be placed on a man-made lake between two resort towns.

In the Chicagoland area, there is one Indiana choice that stands out above all the others—Resorts East Chicago. In the South, there are three standouts—Caesars Indiana, Argosy Lawrenceburg, and the fabulous Belterra.

Resorts East Chicago Resorts East Chicago, the massive yacht-style riverboat that opened as Harrah’s East Chicago, is the clear choice as the best casino in the Chicagoland market. Harrah’s sold the 53,000-square-foot casino a year ago to Resorts International Holdings, as part of the divestitures associated with its takeover of Caesars. Thankfully, Resorts has not altered it significantly. In our annual reader survey, this property consistently ranks as the best overall hotel casino in the market, along with the best rooms and suites, in the 286-room adjacent hotel.

Caesars Indiana This is one of those riverboat properties which, if seen only from the inside, is virtually indistinguishable from an upscale Las Vegas resort casino hotel. Caesars Indiana is attached to one of the most beautiful hotels in the market, its elegant lobby awash in marble befitting the familiar Roman theme. The riverboat itself, on the 5,000-passenger side-wheel style vessel dubbed Glory of Rome, is the largest riverboat casino in the world, with some 90,000 square feet of gaming space. There is fantastic slot selection, great video poker, and top-notch table games and poker room. You can’t go wrong here.

Argosy Lawrenceburg Another behemoth on the Ohio, Penn National’s Argosy Lawrenceburg casino—the closest to Cincinnati—features some of the best slots and video poker in southern Indiana, as well as another great hotel. It is one of the most popular riverboat casinos in the nation, not only for its games—2,300 slots and 80 tables spread over three levels—but for a promotion-rich slot club that many consider the best in the market.

Belterra And then there’s Belterra. Pinnacle Entertainment’s Belterra property is not as large as its neighbors, but is one of the very best riverboat casinos in the country. The two-tower hotel is twice as large as competing locations, a recent expansion bumping the room count to 608, including 57 luxurious suites. Staying at the hotel gives you access to a package of top amenities dominated by a championship golf course. The casino is just as good: The slot floor stocks the newest games on the market. Table games include five-deck blackjack and 10-times odds on craps. In short, what’s not to like?

Missouri Missouri has 11 riverboat casinos, but there are only two names you need to know: Ameristar and Harrah’s. Ameristar operates top properties in Kansas City and St. Charles, and between those properties and the Harrah’s casinos in St. Louis and North Kansas City, the two operators dominate the market.

Ameristar Kansas City / St. Charles This is a remarkably beautiful dockside casino, its two levels bedecked in gold and elegant trappings. It is a consistent winner of most of Player’s top awards for Missouri in the annual survey—clearly a favorite of players for its hotel, its restaurants, its slots, its tables, blackjack, entertainment and restaurants. As far as Missouri goes, this is the place to be. Ameristar St. Charles, recently refurbished to the tune of $360 million, is not on par with the Kansas City property. By next year, the St. Charles property will add a new 25-story hotel tower housing 400 luxury suites.

Harrah’s St. Louis Harrah’s dominates downtown St. Louis with this huge dockside facility, featuring a total of 120,000 square feet of gaming space. Harrah’s gets high marks for its hotel rooms—including some great room packages—as well as its casino promotions, and of course, the typical Harrah’s service and the ever-present Total Rewards national player’s club.

Louisiana Louisiana has 15 riverboat casinos spread out across three regions—Baton Rouge/New Orleans, Shreveport/Bossier City, and Lake Charles. The two standouts in the state are operated by Harrah’s (which also operates a land-based casino in New Orleans) and Pinnacle Entertainment.

Horseshoe Bossier City When Harrah’s Entertainment acquired the Horseshoe brand a couple of years ago, one of the best properties that came with it was the Horseshoe riverboat in Bossier City. Built by Jack Binion as the first casino in the market, it is a beautifully elegant paddlewheeler with some of the best poker, table games and slots in the state. It is adjacent to a magnificent 606-room, all-suite hotel with some of the best resort amenities to be found anywhere in the riverboat market.

L’Auberge du Lac The newest riverboat casino in Louisiana is also the best. Pinnacle’s L’Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino is simply gorgeous, its single-level dockside casino only one part of an amazing resort set on 227 acres. Pinnacle has here reprised the formula that worked so well at Belterra, with a 600-plus room, high-end hotel feeding the central feature of the resort—a Tom Fazio-designed, 18-hole championship golf course. As we said with Belterra, what’s not to like?

Rolling on the Rivers – Riverboat Casino.

The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet.

Gambling in the Old West

As towns sprouted in the 19th-century American West — outside Army forts, at river crossings along wagon trails, in mining districts and at railheads — some of the first structures built were recreational facilities. Recreation for the almost totally male population inevitably meant the triple-W vices of the frontier: whiskey-drinking, whoring and wagering.

Saloons, brothels and gambling halls would appear almost overnight. In the early camps, the structure might be only a lantern-lit, dirt-floored tent, the bar simply a board stretched between two whiskey barrels, the prostitution facility just a cot in a wagon bed for the use of a single female strumpet, and the gambling outfit only a rickety table, a few chairs and a greasy, dog-eared deck of cards. As the towns grew and prospered, these primitive facilities were replaced by one-story wooden buildings with false fronts to make them appear even larger. And if the community developed into a city, saloons were housed in imposing brick buildings with ornate bars, huge back-bar mirrors and brilliant chandeliers. Some brothels became elegantly furnished parlor houses with attractive ‘boarders’ managed by madams whose names were famous throughout the West. The best-known sporting men of the West presided over and patronized gambling houses that were often the most impressive and elaborately accoutered structures of the cities.

The popularity of gambling in the West can be attributed mostly to the fact that all who left the relative safety and comfort of the East to seek fame and fortune on the frontier were, in a sense, natural-born gamblers. In the early West, gambling was considered a profession, as legitimate a calling as the clergy, the law or medicine.

During the 25-year period prior to the Civil War, gambling flourished in the towns along the Mississippi from New Orleans to St. Louis and was a staple attraction on virtually every riverboat. This golden age of gambling produced some of the most memorable practitioners of the art — legendary professionals like Charles Cora, J.J. Bryant, Jimmy Fitzgerald, John Powell, Charles Starr and Napoleon Bonaparte ‘Poley’ White.

One of the popular gambling games of the 19th century was a bluffing game that evolved into American poker. Another, vingt-et-un (twenty-one), introduced into the United States through the predominately French community of New Orleans, we now call blackjack. Still another was Mexican monte. But undoubtedly the most popular gambling game in the West was faro, which drew its name from the Egyptian pharaohs depicted on the back of the cards.

The foremost faro player on the Mississippi was Italian immigrant Charles Cora. After winning $85,000 and breaking several faro banks in New Orleans, Vicksburg and Natchez during one six-month period, he was banned from many resorts. J.J. Bryant, perhaps the best-known professional gambler on the lower Mississippi, lost thousands to Cora.

Jimmy Fitzgerald and Charles Starr were early standard-setters of the sartorial splendor that became a hallmark of the 600 to 800 professional gamblers plying their trade on the river. Their expensive black suits and boots were offset by snow-white ruffled shirts and dazzling brocaded vests. Ostentatious jewelry advertised the gambler’s prosperity. Huge rings adorned his fingers. A stickpin with a large stone, called a ‘headlight,’ sparkled on his chest. In a pocket of his ‘flowerbed’ vest was an enormous pocket watch adorned with precious jewels and attached to a heavy golden chain that draped across the gambler’s chest.

The discovery of gold in California and the resulting rush of 1849 attracted many of the paddle-wheel and Mississippi River town gamblers to San Francisco, the new El Dorado of the West. By the early 1850s Portsmouth Square, the center of the City by the Bay, was ringed by large gambling houses where the doors never closed and enormous sums changed hands over the tables.

There was the Parker House, originally built by its owner, Robert A. Parker, as a hotel, but quickly converted to a casino as the gambling craze swept San Francisco. A large room downstairs contained three tables for faro, two for monte, one for roulette and a seventh for any other game desired. Professional gamblers paid $10,000 a month for the privilege of conducting their games in this room. A smaller room behind the bar went for $3,500 a month. Jack Gamble, an appropriately named sporting man, leased the entire second floor for $60,000 and outfitted all the rooms for games of chance. It was estimated that at the peak of the California Gold Rush upward of half a million dollars was stacked on the tables of the Parker House on any given day.

Flanking the Parker House on either side were two other famous resorts, Samuel Dennison’s Exchange and the El Dorado Gambling Saloon, owned by partners James McCabe and Thomas J.A. Chambers. Other houses on Portsmouth Square were the Verandah, the Aguila de Oro, the Bella Union, the Empire, the Arcade, the Varsouvienne, the Mazourka, the Ward House, the St. Charles, the Alhambra, La Souciedad, the Fontine House and the Rendezvous. As indicated by the several French names, some of these establishments were owned and operated by gambling syndicates from France, a country long known for its love of gaming.

As mining camps sprang up and grew in the hills surrounding San Francisco, the gamblers followed. Soon elaborate temples devoted to the goddess Chance were running day and night in Sacramento, Columbia, Nevada City and other Sierra boom towns.Among the former Mississippi riverboat gamblers who gained prominence on the California scene were Cora and Bryant. In San Francisco Cora continued to enjoy remarkable success at the faro tables, but luck completely deserted him after he resolved a difficulty with U.S. Marshal William H. Richardson on November 18, 1855, by shooting him to death on a San Francisco street. Shootings and stabbings were common occurrences in the city, and had this murder been committed a few months earlier Cora might have escaped punishment on the ancient claim of self-defense. But violence had reached such proportions in the city that residents were calling for reorganization of the Vigilance Committee that had been so effective against the criminal element in 1851. In that year vigilantes had executed or banished from the city many miscreants, and now, five years later, they felt another no-nonsense cleansing was called for. They tried Cora, found him guilty and on May 22, 1856, hanged him from the roof of their headquarters building.

Bryant’s California fortunes were better. After his arrival, he had purchased the Ward House, refurbished and renamed it the Bryant House, and soon became one of the most prosperous and influential men in San Francisco. In 1850, when the first election for sheriff was held in the city, he ran for the office. Although he spent $50,000 on his campaign and bet another $10,000 that he would win, he was defeated by the popular Jack Hays, a celebrated former Texas Ranger. Bryant sold his gambling house and moved on to the outlying camps, where he was financially successful. By the time he left California in 1854, he had reportedly sent $110,000 in winnings to his wife while maintaining a lavish lifestyle for himself. He resumed his gambling operations in the South and continued to prosper, but at the end of the Civil War he found himself destitute, as his wealth was in worthless Confederate currency. He was reduced to ‘roping suckers’ into a sharper’s crooked game. One of the suckers took offense and in 1868 shot him dead.

With the 1860s came the great mining excitement of the fabled Comstock Lode in Nevada. Most of the gambling activity in the Comstock was centered in Virginia City and nearby satellite communities. As in San Francisco, gambling houses dominated the main streets of the new towns. At the height of the boom an agent of the U.S. Geological Survey, studying recreational opportunities in Virginia City, found that the town of 18,000 had a gambling house for every 150 inhabitants. The best known of the many resorts in Virginia City was the Gentry and Crittenden Gambling Saloon, which featured a no-limit faro table presided over by the famous dealer Hamilton Baker. Other houses of note were Tom Peasley’s Sazarac, named after a new cocktail introduced by Julia Bulette, the queen of the town’s red-light district; the Delta Saloon, owned and operated by Jim Orndorff and Jack Magee; and Tom Buckner’s Sawdust Corner. Other prominent gamblers of Virginia City in its heyday were James ‘Kettle Belly’ Brown, Matt Redding, Jesse Bright, Gus Botto, Billy Dormer, Tom Diamond, Miles Goodman, Joe Dixon, Ramon Montenegro, Grant Isrial and Joe Stewart.

Gold Hill and Carson City were also outstanding towns for the sporting element during the Comstock bonanza years. The undisputed top man in the game at Gold Hill was William DeWitt Clinton Gibson, who was later elected to the Nevada Senate. The Headquarters, the Magnolia and the Occidental were all first-class gambling halls in Carson, and the leading sporting men were Vic Mueller, Tump Winston, Henry Decker, Gus Lewis, Mark Gaige and Adolph Shane. Dick Brown ran two establishments — the Silver State Saloon on the divide between Virginia City and Gold Hill, and the Bank Exchange in Carson City.

One of the most important events of the late 1860s was the completion of the transcon-tinental railroad. As the Union Pacific snaked across the Great Plains to meet the Central Pacific in its historic linkup at Promon-tory, Utah Territory, on May 10, 1869, it produced a number of end-of-track towns that collectively became known as ‘Hell on Wheels.’ They were gathering points for some of the lowest dregs of the sporting world, including hundreds of tinhorn, thieving gamblers. When the railroad pushed on, most of these towns disappeared. The sporting crowd simply loaded their tents, shacks, whiskey barrels, cots, gambling equipment and other paraphernalia on flatcars and moved to the next location at the end of the line. But a few points remained as permanent communities, and today the cities of North Platte, Neb.; Julesburg, Colo.; and Cheyenne, Wyo., can trace their origins to Hell on Wheels. Most of the honky-tonk crowd who preyed on the railroad construction workers during this period were forgettable small-timers, but a few went on to prominence among the gambling men of the West. Most, like John Bull, ‘Canada Bill’ Jones, Doc Baggs and Ben Marks, claimed to follow the respected profession of gambling, but were in fact confidence operators who fleeced their victims with three-card monte, thimblerig and other crooked gambling games. When the steel rails at last spanned the country, many of these sure-thing gamblers continued to work their swindles on railroad passengers, using the rail center of Omaha as headquarters.

They joined a large contingentof other crooked gamblers who formed the lowest echelon of the profession. Gambling, with its basic get-rich-quick appeal, had always attracted a criminal element. Perhaps the most famous member of this gallery of rogues was Jefferson Randolph ‘Soapy’ Smith, who worked his crooked scheme in Colorado for many years. It was Soapy who coined the expression’sure-thing game,’ once proudly proclaiming: ‘I am no ordinary gambler. The ordinary gambler hazards his own money in an attempt to win another’s. When I stake money, it is a sure thing that I win.’

Smith got his start and his nickname from a scam he developed in Leadville, in the Colorado Rockies. He had first worked the thimblerig game, a variation on the three-card monte swindle, which simply seemed to challenge a potential victim’s quickness of eye. Manipulating three walnut shells and a pea on a board, he would induce the sucker to bet on which shell concealed the pea, when in fact it was under none of them, for he had palmed it. When that racket grew old, he devised a new scheme based on the same principle that the hand is quicker than the eye. From a pile of paper-covered soap bars he would extract a few, remove the paper and apparently wrap $20 and $50 bills around the bars before replacing the covering. He would then allow members of his audience to select any bar they wished at $5 apiece. Of course, none of them contained any bills, because he had deftly palmed them in the wrapping process.

The decade of the 1870s saw the advent of the great trail drives of Texas Longhorns to the Kansas railheads and the birth of the notorious cow towns of Abilene, Newton, Wichita, Ellsworth and Dodge City. All became great gambling centers during their early days, and some of the most celebrated names in Western history are associated with this period. James Butler ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok, Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson are remembered today as fearless lawmen of the cattle towns, but all were professional gamblers who spent many more hours at the faro or poker tables than they ever did patrolling the streets. Joining them were other professional gamblers whose names are remembered today for their gunfighting notoriety: Doc Holliday, Ben Thompson and Luke Short.

It was no accident that many of the top-flight gunfighters of the Western frontier were members of the sporting fraternity. Tough, steel-nerved young men who had acquired gunfighting reputations either in personal difficulties or as boomtown lawmen found themselves in demand as dealers in gambling resorts. There were two reasons for this. First, gunfighters of renown attracted patronage, as miners and cowboys were quick to seize the opportunity to match wits and gambling skills with frontier celebrities across a green felt table. Second, since the open display of large piles of cash was a constant attraction for criminals of all sorts, ranging from sneak thieves to holdup men, the mere presence at the tables of famous personalities known to be adept at the art of the draw and shoot discouraged any attempt to steal.

The 1870s also saw more ore strikes and additional mining districts. New boomtowns quickly emerged, most notably Deadwood in Dakota Territory, Leadville in Colorado, and Tombstone in southern Arizona Territory. All three became gambling meccas, and their names have been associated with some of the most famous Westerners of the 19th century. Wild Bill Hickok was shot to death as he sat in a poker game in a Deadwood saloon, and the hand he held — aces and eights, the ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ — became an enduring legend of the West.

Leadville, 10,000 feet high in the mountains, blossomed almost overnight into the largest city in Colorado, and at one point its boosters attempted to wrest the state capital away from Denver. At its peak, gambling opportunities were afforded in more than 150 resorts ranging from small saloons to elaborate theaters and concert halls. Some of the better known were Tom Kemp’s Dance and Gambling Hall, which in 1879 featured vaudeville song-and-dance star Eddie Foy; the Texas House, where proprietors Bailey Youngston and ‘Con’ Featherly provided a dozen faro tables around the clock; and ‘Pop’ Wyman’s Great Saloon, in which a large sign over the bar read: ‘Don’t Shoot the Pianist — He’s Doing His Darndest.’

Most of the leading Western gamblers, including Ben Thompson, Bat Masterson, Luke Short and Doc Holliday, spent a good deal of time — and money — in Leadville. There is a story that after dropping more than $3,000 at faro one night there, the volatile Thompson in a fury turned over the table, jerked out his six-shooter and shot out all the lights, sending panic-stricken patrons scurrying for the exits. Holliday, suffering one of those streaks of bad luck and near poverty that plagued all gambling men, shot another sporting man named Billy Allen in Leadville in a dispute over a mere $5 debt (see ‘Spitting Lead in Leadville: Holliday’s Last Stand,’ in the December 2003 Wild West).

Tombstone blossomed into a major city in the Arizona desert almost overnight and attracted many prominent professional gamblers, including Masterson, Holliday, Earp and Short. The leading drinking emporium in the boomtown was the Oriental Saloon. Its owner, Mike Joyce, leased the gambling concession to a triumvirate of Western sporting men — Dick Clark, a veteran of the Colorado mining camps; Lou Rickabaugh, a San Francisco sporting man; and Bill Harris, former owner of the famous Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. When gambling became so popular in the Oriental that it adversely affected business at the other resorts in town, a group of competitors hired Johnny Tyler, a gambler of some gunfighting notoriety, to lead a gang of toughs into the Oriental every night, start a ruckus and intimidate patrons. The Oriental owners retaliated by offering Wyatt Earp, who had acquired a gunfighting reputation of his own, a quarter interest in the business if he would handle Tyler and his cohorts. To help him in this task, Earp employed Doc Holliday and sent for Luke Short and Bat Masterson to come to Tombstone and deal in the Oriental. This squad of gunfighting luminaries was too much for Tyler, who soon left town, and the Oriental returned to its air of decorum and its profitability.

Soon Bat Masterson and Luke Short also departed Tombstone — but not before Short had killed Charlie Storms, another well-traveled professional gambler of note, in a famous gunfight. Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday stayed on to gain immortality for their participation in the most celebrated Western showdown of all, the so-called Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Holliday also joined Wyatt in his vendetta ride to avenge the murder of his brother Morgan and the crippling of his brother Virgil. They left Arizona as fugitives wanted for murder, but they returned to their gambling profession and were never tried.

As great cities grew in the West during the 1880s, gambling emporiums grew with them. San Francisco, where gambling had flourished since the first days of the California Gold Rush, now harbored the Barbary Coast, a sin center of worldwide notoriety. Denver, Kansas City, Omaha, Tucson, Hot Springs, Ark., and the Texas cities of Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth and Dallas were recognized as wide-open for gambling of all sorts — from cheating three-card monte scams to high-stakes poker and faro games in elaborate casinos. It was during this period that the Gamblers’ Circuit developed, with professional followers of the goddess Chance traveling around the country, sometimes following the seasons but more often following the latest report of a mining strike or a cattleman’s convention.

In the late 1890s, gold was discovered in the Klondike region of Canada’s Yukon, and the last great rush to a new mining district was on. Of course, along with the prospectors and mining men who flocked to the Klondike were members of the sporting crowd, the same types who had been early arrivals at every boomtown in the West since the Forty-Niners first arrived in California. They opened saloons, brothels and gambling houses and did a flourishing business separating the miners from their gold dust.

Some of the most colorful professional gamblers of the American West made it to the north country. Wyatt Earp was there. He and his partner, Charlie Hoxie, ran the Dexter Saloon in Nome, which they advertised as ‘The Only Second-Class Saloon in Alaska.’ When he sold his interest to Hoxie and returned to California, Earp is said to have accumulated $85,000.

George Lewis ‘Tex’ Rickard, the former city marshal of Henrietta, Texas, joined the rush and ran gambling games, first at Circle City in Alaska and later at Dawson in Yukon Territory. He made and lost a fortune, owned and lost two gambling houses, and made another fortune. It was in the Klondike that he first began promoting prizefights, an enterprise that would lead him into worldwide celebrity as the promoter of the multimillion-dollar-gate bouts of the 1920s featuring heavyweight Jack Dempsey.

The memorable gamblers of the Klondike gold rush included ‘Square Sam’ Bonnifield, Rickard’s mentor, and Louis ‘Goldie’ Golden, who once won $72,000 and Bonnifield’s gambling establishment from Square Sam in a poker game. Goldie lost it all back later when Square Sam, supplied with fresh funds by admirers, cleaned him out. Gambler Harry Woolrich was about to board a steamer to leave the north with $60,000 in winnings when he flipped a half dollar on a faro layout and made what he said was ‘one last bet.’ Twenty-four hours later, he had lost the $60,000 and his steamer ticket. William F. ‘Swiftwater Bill’ Gates won $30,000 in a poker game in Nome but achieved national newspaper coverage for his many amorous adventures.

The crooked gamblers seemed to congregate in the north country at the port town of Skagway, where, under the leadership of Soapy Smith, they relieved new arrivals and departing miners of anything of value. In 1898 Smith was grand marshal of a Fourth of July parade in Skagway; four days later Frank Reid, a member of a citizens’ committee, shot him dead in a gunfight in which Reid also received a fatal wound.

There were still a few wide-open gambling towns after the turn of the century, most notably the boom mining camps of Nevada, particularly Goldfield, Rawhide and Tonopah. Wyatt Earp and Tex Rickard were there, as well as such colorful gambling notables as George Wingfield, Riley Grannan and ‘Diamondfield Jack’ Davis.

Wingfield started out earning $25 a day as a dealer in the Tonopah Club, gambled successfully against other houses, invested his winnings in the mines, was worth more than $2 million by age 27 and became a power in Nevada politics. Grannan broke the faro bank in one saloon and bet his $52,000 winnings on one turn of a card against title to the house. He lost. When he contracted pneumonia and died in Rawhide, Herman W. Knickerbocker, a defrocked Methodist minister, delivered a moving eulogy to the famous gambler. Diamondfield Jack got his start as a bodyguard for Wingfield. Goldfield legend has it that when he expected trouble, he became a walking arsenal, wearing three overcoats with a pistol in every pocket, a bowie knife at his belt and a sawed-off shotgun slung across his back. Other fables attached to the man. He was said to have acquired his name from a field of diamonds he owned. The rumor that he had escaped death sentences on five occasions was greatly exaggerated; he had only been condemned to hang once, for a dual murder in Idaho, and had avoided the hangman’s noose when another man confessed to the crime.

The great age of Western gambling ended with the closing of the frontier and the rise of antisaloon and woman suffrage reform movements that swept across the nation in the first decades of the 20th century. These led inevitably to constitutional amendments prohibiting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages and establishing the enfranchisement of women. State after state passed legislation outlawing casino gambling. Nevada alone bucked the tide. Casino gambling returned in the latter half of the 20th century on Indian reservations and in Las Vegas, a city devoted to gambling. Its great popularity led to legalization in many areas of the country, and now anyone wishing to wager money will have little difficulty in finding a place to do it. But the colorful professional gamblers of the Western frontier are long gone and generally forgotten.

This article was written by R.K. DeArment and originally appeared in the April 2005 issue of Wild West .

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History of Riverboat Gambling on the Mississippi

The South has always been at least somewhat friendly to gambling due to the rise of the riverboat in the early 1900s. Games of chance were kept on the water so that anti-gambling laws wouldn’t apply. Games like poker and roulette took place on grand riverboats, even if the ship never left the dock.

This tradition was greatly reduced when the railroad became the main way to transport both goods and people, but some riverboats remain in the South today. In Mississippi and Louisiana, especially, retired steamboats are now used for river cruising and for gambling in places like Vicksburg.

Online casinos are one of the latest innovations in the casino industry. Since the rise of technological advancements, they are solid competitors to U.S.-based land-based casinos. Many gambling restrictions still remain in the South and across the ocean. For example, every casino in the UK gets licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.

The regulations of the U.S. online casino market have led to developers existing who only get associated with U.S. casinos and are not available at UK-based gaming sites. Some famous developers for the U.S. market are RealTime Gaming, Relax Gaming, Rival Gaming, Elk Studios and Betsoft.

But for those players who want the old-time experience of dressing up and boarding a grand steamboat, the South has plenty for them. Just look along the Mississippi River from Missouri to Louisiana. According to Visit Mississippi , the first steamboat to travel the Mississippi River was the New Orleans, whose October 1811 maiden voyage began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The New Orleans stopped in Natchez in December 1811 before continuing to its final port in New Orleans.

Wealthy Southerners could afford to travel by steamboat, and some were ornately decorated in the Victorian style. The riverboat casinos that remain today continue that grand tradition, with music playing onboard, restaurants available to players and even live entertainment offered regularly.

So, if you want to step back in time and experience the old South by river—without all the outlaws and pirates —consider a riverboat cruise or evening of gaming.

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A History of Riverboats in Mississippi

The mighty Mississippi river stretches from Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The second-longest river in the United States, the Mississippi is integral to the history of America — particularly in the state of Mississippi. Riverboats facilitated travel, commerce, and cultural exchange within Mississippi and beyond. Learn more about the impact of Mississippi riverboats in this post from Visit Mississippi .

Riverboats: The Early Days

While people have navigated the waters of the Mississippi River for centuries, steamboat technology was not viable until the early 1800s. The first steamboat to travel the Mississippi was the New Orleans, whose October 1811 maiden voyage began in Pittsburgh, PA, and ended in New Orleans after traveling along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

The New Orleans stopped in Natchez in December 1811 before continuing to its final port in New Orleans. First established by French colonists and later ruled by the Spanish, Natchez was an important center of trade and cultural exchange.

The Golden Age of the Steamboat

By the 1830s, steamboats existed all along the Mississippi River and its major tributaries. The growth of Mississippi’s riverfront communities, such as Bolivar, Commerce, and Greenville, can largely be attributed to the riverboat trade. Riverboats also brought new settlers to the state, helping to speed up agricultural development in the fertile Mississippi Delta.

Propelled by steam-driven paddle wheels, steamboats could navigate the river more quickly and effectively than barges or flatboats. They carried goods such as cotton, timber, and livestock up and down the river, expanding trade throughout the growing U.S. However, steamboats could be dangerous — the boilers used to create steam could build up too much pressure and explode. Steamboats were also susceptible to hitting obstacles such as rocks or logs, which could cause them to sink. This created a growing industry for a smaller type of riverboat called a “snagboat.” Snagboats patrolled the Mississippi River looking for tree stumps, debris, or other hazards and removing them before they damaged larger steamboats.

Wealthy Mississippians could enjoy leisure travel on a showboat — a riverboat used for theater and musical performances. Showboats were ornately decorated and would announce their arrival at a port by playing music that could be heard for miles.

Riverboats During the Civil War

During the years after Mississippi’s secession from the Union, many steamboats were used to support the Confederate Army. Riverboats carried troops, provisions, and supplies along the Mississippi during the Civil War. Demand for ships was so high that both the Union and Confederate governments chartered steamboats. Riverboats also played a role in the defense of Vicksburg, an important Confederate stronghold that connected the South to the Western states.

Gaming on the River

Riverboat gambling became popular in the early 1900s due to legislation surrounding gaming. By keeping poker, roulette, and other games of chance restricted to a riverboat, business owners could evade the anti-gambling laws that were in effect on land in states along the Mississippi River. Riverboat gaming in Mississippi was legalized in 1993, but unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina destroyed many riverboat casinos. In response, Mississippi lawmakers allowed casinos to move 800 feet inland.

However, you can still find a few riverboat casinos throughout the U.S. In Mississippi, visitors can try their luck at the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Vicksburg , a riverboat-style casino and hotel located right on the water.

Mississippi Riverboats in the Present Day

According to National Geographic, by 1900, the growth of railroads across the U.S. significantly reduced the demand for transporting goods and people via steamboat. Many riverboats were retired, but a few showboats remained as a testament to this period in history.

The popularity of riverboats continues to thrive in the Magnolia State. Today, tourists can enjoy the relaxing and immersive experience of river cruising. These luxury expeditions offer a unique way to travel the Mississippi, where guests can admire the breathtaking scenery along the waterway. First-class accommodations, fine dining, and a variety of things to do can be expected on a luxury tour on the Mississippi. Companies such as American Cruise Line and Viking River Cruises offer a variety of cruises that vary in duration and cities visited, like Vicksburg and Natchez.

Plan Your Trip With Help From Visit Mississippi

If you’re planning a trip to one of our historic riverfront cities like Natchez, Vicksburg, or Greenville — or anywhere else in the Hospitality State — Visit Mississippi is here for assistance.

Plan your next trip to Mississippi using our complimentary trip planner tool that helps you map out all your must-see attractions, restaurants, and lodging options. Whether you’re here for a week or just passing through, you’ll find a wealth of information about Mississippi history and culture on the Visit Mississippi website. For more information, contact us today.

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Remember the Riverboats

The launch of riverboats in Iowa started a wave that swept through the South and the Midwest and brought gaming to the heart of America.

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Twenty years ago on April 1, the real expansion of gaming in America began. Some trace it back to the debut of gaming in Atlantic City in 1978, but it was more than a dozen years before another state got on the gaming bandwagon. But on April 1, 1991, the Diamond Lady, built by scrap metal magnate Bernie Goldstein, set sail from Bettendorf, Iowa, on the first legal riverboat gaming cruise since the 19th century. On the same day, the Casino Belle left its dock in Dubuque’s Ice Harbor, packed with community leaders, supporters and tourists.

The boats were rather small in comparison to some of the “riverboat” gaming properties today—riverboat is a misnomer since there are no longer any boats that actually sail—but it was immediately popular, and encouraged the growth of the riverboat industry in Iowa and later across the Midwest.

In a statement issued by the American Gaming Association, President and CEO Frank J. Fahrenkopf on April 1 said that event changed gaming forever.

“Not only is today the 20th anniversary of modern riverboat casinos in America, but it also marks a major step in gaming becoming one the nation’s favorite leisure pastimes,” he said. “Further, the advent of riverboat casinos sparked the growth of an industry that has meant hundreds of thousands of American jobs and tens of billions of dollars in much-needed tax revenues.”

In Iowa, the industry grew quickly, and today features seven riverboats, seven land-based casinos and three racinos. More than 22 million people visit these facilities and they generate $300 million in tax revenues annually.

But it was the impact beyond Iowa that marks the sailing of the Diamond Lady so strongly, says Fahrenkopf.

“The state of Iowa legalized riverboat gaming in July 1989,” he says. “Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri and Mississippi all eventually followed suit. Today, commercial casinos—including land-based, riverboat and racetrack casinos—operate in 22 states. Nationwide, commercial and racetrack casinos employ about 350,000 employees, and paid $7.2 billion in gaming tax revenue and distributions to state and local governments in 2009.”

Isle of Capri, the company that traces its roots to Goldstein’s first casino, employs an executive who has traveled the full circle of riverboats over the last 20 years. Bill Gustafson embarked on that first cruise as a security supervisor. Four gaming properties and three states later, he is back where it all began in Bettendorf as the senior director of operations at Isle Casino Hotel.

“When the Diamond Lady left the dock in Bettendorf 20 years ago, I thought I had a good job,” Gustafson recalled. “Instead, I found a rewarding career in an industry that has made a major economic contribution in the United States.”

Wes Ehrecke, president of the Iowa Gaming Association, says gaming has undoubtedly succeeded in the state.

“I think the future is bright for the gaming industry,” Ehrecke told the Des Moines Register. “If the economy turns, and I am optimistic that it will, we want to be positioned to have great entertainment attractions for people so they have choices to make.”

Todd Moyer, the general manager of the Diamond Jo Casino—which succeeded the Casino Belle—notes the difference between the old and the new boats. Peninsula Gaming now owns the Diamond Jo.

“Diamond Jo was built to attract visitors,” says Moyer. “When we moved off of the riverboat, we had the luxury of room to spread out, and to offer more amenities. Our team goal is to offer unforgettable experiences to our customers, every time.”

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• Riverboat Gambling: A Taste of the Past /

Riverboat Gambling: A Taste of the Past

• September 24, 2020 04:34PM
• September 24, 2020

Introduction: Riverboat Gambling

Have you ever been riverboat gambling? We’ve all seen the old photos of these majestic looking paddle steamers making their way up the Mississippi River. In fact, it’s probably considered an image that pretty much sums up the golden age of the Wild West, once it was tamed. But things have moved on a bit since those days of gun-toting cowboys and Stetsons. Though gambling may have advanced in some areas, like the internet, it doesn’t necessarily follow that this holds true of every state in the US. For example, did you know that some states still require that all gambling takes place on a riverboat? Sounds crazy…so let’s have a look.

The Wild Midwest

The origins of riverboat gambling are pretty straightforwards. As the West was expanding, many merchants had to travel considerable distances in order to both maintain and find new business. Back in the 1800s, they made use of the extensive waterways that zigzagged across the eastern seaboard to the mid-west. so traveling by boat was the norm. Unfortunately, this form of travel is also exceedingly time-consuming.

Essentially we had a bunch of rich folks, with lots of time on their hands, and all stuck on a boat. So it’s no surprise that riverboat gambling quickly became the best method to pass the time. And of course, the smell of easy money brought professional gamblers to the party. Soon any number of shady characters could be found gambling on these boats. But laws were changing, and many states were actively outlawing all forms of gambling. At the same time, there were a great many people complaining about the card sharps. Soon lynch mobs sprung up to dish out “justice” to card cheats. It was all getting out of hand.

Riverboat Gambling: Caught In The Middle

So, with the police on one shore and the lynch mob on the other, it’s no surprise that riverboat gambling felt a lot safer whilst remaining on the waterways. These boats gave an opportunity to the very best card sharps to practice their trade with impunity. But times were a-changing, and it was only a matter of time for things to change thanks to the introduction of the railroads. Overnight, the riverboats became redundant for traveling purposes. But the story doesn’t end here.

States are always on the lookout for means of raising their own taxes. And all states were looking westwards and seeing the sheer amounts of cash pouring into the coffers of the State of Nevada, thanks to it’s relaxing of gambling laws allowing all types of jackpot games . And so, it only natural that they too, wanted some of that action. So states that were on the Mississippi River began to think again about utilizing those paddle steamers as floating gambling casinos. This would create an important source of additional state revenues. So, with the stroke of a pan, laws were changed and those boats were recommissioned. Well not quite.

Modern Riverboat Gambling Casinos

The thing is that though they might be called riverboat gambling casinos, the “boat” bit can be a bit misleading. Often they really have nothing in common with a real boat. Most of them are just floating structures, which happen to be parked on the waterway. They do appear to be floating, but we wouldn’t be surprised if they were not built up from the river bed itself. When these new riverboats first appeared, it was when the idea of gambling once again was starting to take it’s first baby steps. As a result, gambling laws were extremely restrictive. Most boats had a $5 betting limit and there were rules as to how much a guest was allowed to lose on a single trip.

But the 1990s saw a major change in gambling laws. Things became more relaxed and as a result, revenues increased for casinos, which in turn led to states gaining more as well. As of today, riverboat gambling casinos to win the jackpot operate in 6 states, Louisiana, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. But that doesn’t mean that they all follow the same laws. For example, in Louisiana, all casinos must actually look like the old river paddleboat steamers and have their own engines. Then again, not all river states have even joined the gambling party. So Kentucky, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Minnesota have no river casinos at all. It’s really strange that voters wouldn’t want the extra income that gambling brings.

Riverboat Gambling: Boosting Local Economies and State Budgets

It goes without saying that riverboat gambling had has a positive impact on both local level and state budgets. For example, in Indiana, all casinos have to pay a 20% state tax. Of this, 15% goes to the state and the other 5% remains in the local community. Just so there’s no doubting the numbers involved, this translates to a staggering $400 million to the state and $80 million locally. In fact, more tax money flows into the state from riverboat gambling, than from any other source. And it, not only tax money that’s important. These huge floating monstrosities need workers. They need to hire dealers, waitresses, accountants and security, and more.

And the vast majority of these workers are going to be people who live locally. As a direct result, this increases the amounts of money going into local communities, as workers are spending salaries in shops and stores where they live.

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A great example of this effect would be what happened in Thackerville. This was a quiet backwater of a town with few inhabitants and just the river flowing slowly by. it’s the type of young that young people look forwards to escaping from as soon as high school is over. But then WinStar World Casino decided to plonk a massive riverboat gambling casino there. Before you could say “bingo”, Thackerville was suddenly on the map. The casino started to instantly pull thousands of tourists in from all over the adjoining states. Not only that, but it created literally thousands of jobs. The town had gone from being a sleepy village into a bustling town in less time than to spin a roulette wheel.

Our Favorite Riverboat Casinos

Sam’s town – shreveport, la.

This casino is familiar to all gamblers who go to Las Vegas. In fact, it’s been a gambling institution for many years now. It’s situated on the shores of the muddy Mississippi River. It has all the luxuries you’d expect from a historic casino in Vegas. There’s a spa for relaxing in after a hard day at the slots. These, by the way, are all joined together to create a local progressive jackpot of around $80,000.

Casino Queen Marquette – Marquette, IA

If you’re not a high roller, but want the high roller experience, then look no further than the Casino Queen. This is a relatively small casino floating on the Mississippi. There are just 8 gaming tables, which is tiny when you think of even the smallest venue in Las Vegas. But what they lack in table games, they certainly make up for with jackpot slots machines. There are a staggering 1,100 machines to choose from. But the main feature that makes the Casino Queen so outstanding, is the staff. You’ll be hard pushed to find a more courteous and helpful staff as they have there. The level of service is second to none.

The Grand Victoria Casino – Elgin, IL

Just a short 40-mile drive going west out of Chicago, and there you’ll find the Grand Victoria Casino Elgin. A medium-sized venture, it has 36 games tables. And a whopping 1,000 slot machines to help increase your jackpot winning chances . But the casino isn’t just famous as a riverboat gambling venue. The owners place great emphasis on giving back to the community via various outreach programs. In fact, this being the highest-grossing casino in the state, it still manages to give away a huge part of it’s profits to the surrounding communities. So, if you happen to be playing there, be happy in the knowledge that part of your losses is going to good causes.

Conclusion: Riverboat Gambling

By their very nature, riverboat casinos can’t compete when it comes to the level of luxury found in land-based casinos. But what they don’t have in glitz, they certainly make up for with charm. And that’s a timeless old-world charm that’s hard to duplicate. Though these river paddle boats don’t actually move (thought here are some that do), there’s still a decidedly old fashioned feeling from gambling on the river. We suggest that they’re great to visit and play in, if nothing but for the change and the experience from your regular land-based casinos. You’ll be glad that you did.

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Riverboat casinos – why does the casino have to be on a boat?

A riverboat casino is exactly what it sounds like: a casino on a riverboat. These exist in several US states, through which the Mississippi River flows. There are also some along the Gulf Coast. A few states allowed this type of casino to limit the areas where casinos could be built without outlawing gambling . The riverboats were rarely moved away from the port, if ever.

History of riverboat casinos

Riverboats with paddlewheels had long been used on the Mississippi and its tributaries to transport cargo and people. After they were largely displaced by railroads, they became more popular for short trips, up to a few hours long, than as transport from one riverfront town to another. They were also a way to enjoy live music and dancing and find a cool place to relax, away from the scorching urban heat.

On riverboats, gambling was far from uncommon

There were card games, slot machines , and more. When states approved riverboat casinos in the late 20 th century, and land-based gaming was generally prohibited, these casinos had to be located on ships. In some areas, gambling was legal only when the boat was not docked, as in the traditional trips. Riverboat casinos were allowed in states like Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri. In Illinois, they were also allowed in the Chicago metropolitan area, which is connected to the Mississippi River via the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. There are three ‘riverboat’ casinos in harbors along Lake Michigan in Indiana.

A curious event

A situation on the border between Virginia and Maryland led to an unusual event on the Potomac River around 1950. The border is at the low water mark on the Virginia side, not in the middle of the river. In fact, the whole river is practically in Maryland with the exception of a few small areas in the District of Columbia. Due to this, there were several riverboat casinos docked off of the Virginia shoreline in the middle of the 20 th century. At this time, gambling was not legal in Virginia, but it was legal in parts of Maryland. Considering that the river was in Maryland, people could park in Virginia and walk across a pier, thereby crossing the border between the states.

Developments in the 90s

In 1994, Missouri changed its state constitution to authorize “games of chance” on the two rivers running through the state: the Mississippi and the Missouri. Four years later, just three of the 16 operations comprising Missouri’s riverboat gambling industry, already worth more than $600 million, were clearly on the main river channel according to the state’s gambling watchdog, the Gaming Commission. The supreme court of the state had ruled that riverboats had to be “solely over and in contact with the surface” of the rivers.

A number of operators had been located on riverboats in an area with water by a navigable waterway or a moat, due to which they were referred to as “boats in moats.” The state legislatures were not inclined to waive the high revenues gambling generated. With time, they let casinos be constructed on stilts, but they had to be located over navigable water.

Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath

After Hurricane Katrina destroyed most riverboat casinos in 2005 along with their associated facilities of restaurants, hotels, and more in southern states, a number of them amended their constitutions or changed their legislation. They allowed casinos to be constructed on land near a navigable waterway. Most of the riverboat casinos on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast have been rebuilt on beachfronts with stable foundations after the hurricane.

The future of riverboat casinos

Riverboat casinos will always be a popular form of entertainment along the Mississippi. People can enjoy playing in these historic paddleboat gaming hubs in Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, and Mississippi as this mighty river flows across many different state lines. It is the second-longest river in North America, flowing out from its estuary in Lake Itasca, Minnesota through the heart of the country and flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Its total length is 2,350 miles.

The mighty river was the center of economic activity in the 19th century south. This geographical region was famous for the paddle steamers that used to cruise up and down the Mississippi long before online casinos existed.

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The Growth of Riverboat Casino Gambling

Currently, only a handful of states allow gaming parlors and casinos on riverboats. Most operate on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri Rivers. The first state to reintroduce this type of gambling facility was Iowa in 1989, when legislators passed a law permitting riverboat casinos under certain circumstances. According to this measure, gambling in Iowa may occur only on historic or modern riverboats, making cruises on the Mississippi River lasting a specified period of time (usually an hour and a half). Slot machines and table games are allowed.

In Illinois, the second state to authorize riverboat gambling, casino patrons may also board riverboats making regularly scheduled runs; however, they must wait until the boats are fully underway before engaging in gambling activities. Games allowed include blackjack, craps, roulette, and big six. Slot machines and video poker also are permitted. Illinois riverboat casinos , all of which must charge a boarding fee to their customers, have the potential to be very plentiful , as they may cruise on any number of major rivers, including the Mississippi, Des Plaines, Ohio, and Illinois. Casino operators here have also been very successful in presenting Las Vegas – style entertainment, generating even more customer traffic. At the industry’s peak more than 10,000 new jobs were created in Illinois after the legalization of gambling on riverboats, with an estimated yearly payroll in excess of $250 million.

As a legislative condition for riverboat gambling in Mississippi, the state requires that each county first decide whether or not to approve it. Several counties – Adams, Claiborne, Handcock, and Tunica – were among the first to give the green light to riverboat gambling. It’s probably no coincidence that these counties were at the time also four of the poorest in the state. Mississippi riverboat casinos differ from those in other states in one major way: They must be permanently docked. Rather than based on boats, shipboard casinos sit on stationary barges, connected to land by gangplanks. Often this set-up allows more space to be devoted exclusively to gaming activities than on traditional riverboats. In fact, Mississippi at one time ranked second in the world in terms of casino space. Both slot machines and table games are permitted, and whereas other state governments limit the total number of riverboat casinos allowed to operate within their states, Mississippi provides unlimited licensing.

Two areas in Mississippi that initially struck it rich through the reintroduction of legalized gambling are the Biloxi/Gulfport region and the tiny towns of Tunica and Robinsonville in Tunica County. Both have several major casinos, including big-name operators such as Circus Circus, Sam’s Town, and Harrah’s.

In Louisiana legislators determined that while gambling would be permitted, it could only be conducted on fully operational ships of at least 120 feet that have the appropriate historical look of the nineteenth-century paddleboats. Modern models lacking the appearance of vintage paddlewheelers would not qualify as a legal venue for gaming activities. In addition the riverboats must make regularly scheduled runs and be large enough to hold at least 600 passengers. Currently the maximum number of riverboat gaming casinos allowed in Louisiana is fifteen. However, the city of New Orleans recently received a special waiver from the state legislature allowing a limited number of land-based casino operations there. Look for this city to quickly add new casino operations now that the legal framework is in place.

Passengers hoping to do a little gambling on Indiana riverboats should be prepared for a long time out on the water. Boats offering gambling activities must cruise for approximately four hours. (Of course, employees as well had better be ready to spend a considerable amount of time away from dry land.) The state also allows passengers to gamble thirty minutes before and after the actual cruise. Indiana gaming riverboats may be either historic or modern vessels of at least 150 feet, accommodating a minimum of 500 passengers. All types of table games and slot machines are allowed.

The last state (so far) to legalize riverboat gambling has been Missouri. Both modern and historical riverboats may qualify for gaming licensing. However, there has been much debate in the state as to what gaming activities actually should be allowed. The Missouri State Supreme Court ruled that games such as blackjack and poker may be permitted because they involve a measure of skill and not just luck, whereas slot machines and other specialty table games are prohibited because winnings depend primarily on luck. Even with these seemingly restrictive regulations, over twenty-five casino operators have filed for licensing with the Missouri Gaming Commission. Expect many to begin operating soon, if not already.

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Laissez le Bon Temps Roulette: Letting the Good Times Roll on Riverboat Casinos

Until 1990, casino gambling was legal only in Nevada and Atlantic City, N.J. Since then, it has been authorized in 23 states, including four in the Eighth Federal Reserve District. In a quest to raise revenues without imposing additional taxes on the populace, these states have approved casino gambling, touting that new jobs will be created and additional monies will be made available for education.

Iowa, which was the first Midwestern state to approve riverboat gambling, found it to be quite successful. Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Mississippi have now followed Iowa's lead and passed riverboat gambling initiatives. The degree of success of these operations varies by state and depends on the concentration of nearby competition. Because gambling is too new in Indiana and Missouri, riverboats in Illinois and Mississippi are the centerpieces for our District. Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee have not yet tackled the issue, either in an election or in the legislature.

Illinois' first boat opened in September 1991. During its first week of operation, which was only five days long, 7,130 people attended, and adjusted gross receipts—after payouts for winnings—were about $296,000. Of this total, about $73,500 was paid in state and local taxes: Illinois requires two dollars of the admission fee go to the state and locality (one dollar to each) and imposes a wagering tax—15 percent to the state, 5 percent to the locality—on the adjusted gross receipts.

At the end of 1991, with two riverboats operating, adjusted gross revenues in Illinois were almost $15 million, with more than $3.5 million in taxes going to government agencies. By 1993, Illinois had 10 riverboats, with revenues of almost $606 million. During the first quarter of 1994, 12 riverboats produced revenues of slightly more than $217 million, about $10 million less than receipts for all of 1992, and logged more than four million visitors. If attendance and revenues continue on this path for the remainder of the year, the state can expect to collect wagering taxes of almost $175 million and admissions taxes of about $34 million.

Illinois law does not allow dockside gambling, unless circumstances prevent the boats from cruising, nor does it include a loss-limit—the maximum amount an individual can lose during a gambling excursion. This certainly gives its casinos an advantage over those that are subject to a loss-limit in neighboring states, like Missouri.

Voters approved Missouri's riverboat gambling referendum in November 1992, and plans were immediately hatched to place riverboats in the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas. Opponents of gambling, however, filed suit, questioning whether games of chance—slot machines, craps, roulette, etc.—were constitutional in the state. The state Supreme Court said no, thereby requiring a constitutional amendment to allow such games on the boats. In April 1994, the amendment failed by the narrowest margin in state history. A recount was requested by the pro-gambling campaign, but the outcome was a wider margin of defeat for the amendment. In response, the state legislature legally redefined games of skill to include craps, video poker and video blackjack. This law is expected to face a court challenge, but, until then, riverboats have opened to offer games of skill.

Missouri imposes admission and wagering taxes similar to Illinois'. The state receives 18 percent and the locality receives 2 percent of adjusted gross revenues; two dollars of the admission fee are turned over to the state gaming commission, which keeps one and gives one to the locality. Also like Illinois, Missouri does not allow dockside gambling. 1 It does, however, impose a loss-limit of $500 per excursion on individuals. This provision superficially appears to handicap Missouri casinos against their counterparts in neighboring states where loss-limits do not exist. The provision's effectiveness is blunted, though, because it applies only to a single excursion: Individuals need only pay an additional admission fee for further excursions to continue playing. What this will mean for revenues remains to be seen, particularly because many of the plans, especially in St. Louis, call for extensive land-based building—for example, hotels—in conjunction with the riverboats, which will raise other revenues for the state.

Casino Gambling in the United States

NOTES: Nevada has about 2,200 gambling establishments in all counties. The three major sites are "pinned" on the map. Alaska and Hawaii currently do not have casino gambling. Tribal reservation information is current through May 2, 1994. Land-based and riverboat casino information is current through June 24, 1994.

SOURCES: Land-based and riverboat casinos: State departments of gaming or state gaming commissions. Tribal reservation casinos: National Indian Gaming Commission.

Indiana enacted its gambling law in July 1993, allowing individual counties and municipalities to ask voters if they want riverboats in their area. Currently, the Indiana Gaming Commission has only five licenses to grant to Ohio River communities; six counties, across the river from Cincinnati and Louisville, have already passed referendums. The first boat is expected to open by the end of this year. As in the other states, Indiana will impose admission and wagering taxes on the casinos. The state retains 15 percent of adjusted gross revenues, and the local and county governments each get 2 ½ percent. Of the $2.50 admission tax, one dollar each goes to each the local and county governments, and 50 cents goes to the state. Unlike Missouri, Indiana does not have a loss-limit provision. As in Illinois and Missouri, dockside gambling is allowed at the boat captain's discretion for safety. This allowance for dockside gambling, though, is still more restrictive than that in other states, for example, Mississippi.

Mississippi

Mississippi's first boat opened in August 1992 in Biloxi. By the end of 1992, five boats had opened, four on the Gulf Coast and one on the Mississippi River in Tunica County. In 1993, another 12 boats opened for business, four of them in Tunica. This year, nine more boats opened by June, three in Tunica. Mississippi is now second to Las Vegas in total square footage of gaming space. By July 1995, the state predicts there will be more than 40 riverboats operating in the state. Tunica County alone has at least five more casinos slated to open this year and has transformed itself from one of the poorest counties in the nation to one of the fastest growing.

Unlike other states, Mississippi allows dockside gambling. Thus, operating costs for the riverboats are dramatically reduced because they do not incur the costs of cruising on the river. Many boats, in fact, do not even have engines or wheelhouses. In addition, Mississippi does not impose a loss-limit on individuals. This has led to Mississippi raising more gambling revenues than any other state except Nevada and New Jersey. For example, in 1993, with 17 boats operating by the end of the year, Mississippi boats' adjusted gross revenues were about $790 million. In Illinois, 10 boats in 1993 had adjusted gross revenues of about $606 million.

Mississippi also has a more complex taxing scheme—it imposes a progressive rather than a flat wagering tax. Essentially, the state collects an increasing percentage of monthly adjusted gross revenues: 4 percent on the first $50,000, 6 percent on the next $84,000, and 8 percent on anything above $134,000. Local taxes follow the same scheme with much lower rates, and individual counties and cities make different provisions.

Much of this fanfare may cool because of the riverboat casinos in Louisiana, especially those in the New Orleans area. On top of this, a land-based casino, which is a greater revenue generator than a riverboat, will soon open in New Orleans. Direct competition with these facilities, however, will affect the Gulf Coast boats before it reaches those up north. New Orleans' greater ability to attract visitors because of convention and sporting facilities, as well as the city's well-known appeal as a tourist destination, will hurt Mississippi, but the extent of the effect remains to be seen. Until then, Mississippi has a head start and the experience its competition does not.

Thomas A. Pollmann provided research assistance.

• There is one exception in St. Louis for a boat that does not move under its own power. [ back to text ]

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Riverboat Casinos and Casino Cruises : Then and Now

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