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In the old
black-and-white Hollywood movies, the riverboat gambler
was a stock character. He sat, dressed to the nines, always
with a fancy vest, smoking a cigar and keeping his cards
close to that fancy vest. He was a legendary sort of gambler,
often honest, at times not so honest, ready to start a fistfight
or gunfight if crossed. These riverboat gamblers plied their
trade on the Mississippi, the "father of waters,"
one of the few rivers in America able to accommodate the
really big riverboats.
Today, riverboat gamblers are back. But they're not those
fancy dudes all dressed up; they're ordinary people seeking
some action on the riverboats along the Mississippi. Or
on the Ohio or other great rivers of America. Riverboats
now ply the Great Lakes and other large Midwestern lakes.
However, not all of these boats travel somewhere. A good
number are permanently docked, glamorous vessels running
in place. They're like the Queen Mary at Long Beach, California,
going nowhere, but looking very impressive all the same.
Riverboat design changes from state to state, depending
on local laws, as does riverboat gaming itself. For example,
in Mississippi, gaming is not permitted on a moving boat;
therefore, the riverboats in that state must remain dockside
if gambling is to be allowed. On the other hand, in Louisiana,
gaming is not permitted dockside on riverboats, so the boats
must be seaworthy. And so it goes from state to state.
The riverboat industry is a dynamic one, with boats constantly
being put into service, while others are subject to losses
and go out of business. Eventually, the riverboats will
reach a point of no return, competing for a limited number
of gamblers in a limited number of towns. Another factor
that may slow their growth is the push for legalized gambling
in various big cities in America. For example, if legalized
gambling comes to Chicago, it will surely have a negative
impact on the riverboats that ply their trade in that state.
The same holds true for the other big cities that line the
Mississippi River. |
