Gambling Guide

A Riverboat casino is a type of casino unique to several areas of the United States. Several states authorized this type of casino to limit the areas where casinos could be constructed.

The economic impacts of, first, limited sailing time and, later, from being closed as a result of storm damage, have restricted interest in this type of casino.

History

When first approved, these casinos were required to actually be located on ships that could sail away from the dock. In some areas, gambling was only allowed when the ship was sailing. Over time, these regulations allowed gambling when the ship was docked.

Further changes allowed these casinos to be located in a moat or an area with water adjacent to a navigable waterway. Over time, these casinos were allowed to be built on stilts but still had to be over water.

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 several states are now allowing these casinos to be built on land within certain limits from a navigable waterway.