Riverboat casino expansion advances in Louisiana

A Senate committee approved bills which would allow the 15 riverboat casinos in the state to expand onto the shore and add games.

US.- Louisiana’s 15 riverboat casinos are keeping an eye on the State Congress as the potential regulation that would benefit their operations moves forward. A Senate committee has recently approved bills that would allow them to expand 1,200 feet onto the shore and add more gaming tables and slot machines.

The bills were approved by the Senate Judiciary B Committee, which Senator Ronnie Johns chairs, and will move to the Senate floor. Sen. Johns is the sponsor for the main bill, which would also drop the requirement that the riverboats should keep their distinctive paddlewheels.

Johns’ bill would also allow the riverboats to expand their operations onto the shore and expand the areas they devote to gaming. His bill would raise the limit to 2,365 gaming positions, or seats at blackjack tables, roulette wheels or slot machines.

Mississippi currently allows riverboats to conduct gaming within 800 feet of the coast, but may soon stretch it out to 1,200 feet. That way, Johns’ bill would enable Louisiana’s riverboats to be larger than the ones in Mississippi and bring in more revenue.