{"id":13190,"date":"2024-08-19T04:32:32","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T04:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/?p=13190"},"modified":"2024-09-11T04:04:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T04:04:51","slug":"history-of-riverboat-gambling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/19\/history-of-riverboat-gambling\/","title":{"rendered":"The Unique History of Riverboat Gambling"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is safe to say that most people in the United States today have done their gambling either online or at brick-and-mortar casinos. During the latter part of the 20<\/span>th<\/span> century, however, some got the unique experience of boarding riverboat casinos in order to do their gambling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though it is all the rage today,<\/span> online casinos<\/span><\/a> haven\u2019t been the dominant force in gambling for all that long. Before that, players had to partake by finding a retail establishment \u2013 typically a brick-and-mortar casino \u2013 to play all of their favorite games.<\/span><\/p>\n

Near the end of the 20<\/span>th<\/span> century, however, an alternative appeared. Riverboat casinos, particularly in places like<\/span> Illinois<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Louisiana<\/span><\/a>, among a few others, became a hotbed for gambling activity and skirted traditional laws. Let\u2019s take a closer look at the history of riverboat gambling in the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Beginning of Riverboat Gambling<\/b><\/h2>\n

For much of the 19<\/span>th<\/span> and 20th centuries, paddlewheel riverboats had been used to transport freight and passengers up major river systems and their tributaries. When railroads overtook them in usefulness and popularity, a shift occurred.<\/span><\/p>\n

Riverboats became more frequently used for entertainment excursions. These excursions would last for several hours as riverboats had been largely replaced for transportation purposes. People loved them because it was a great way to not only beat the heat but enjoy live music and dancing.<\/span><\/p>\n

As it turns out, gambling was also quite common on these riverboats. Slot machines and card games became a popular form of gambling. As such, riverboat casinos eventually were approved in the latter part of the 20<\/span>th<\/span> century.<\/span><\/p>\n

Riverboat gambling has a long and storied history.<\/p>\n