Although the governor vetoed riverboats for his state, the Indiana legislature voted to override him and in June 1993 Indiana became the sixth state to legalize riverboat gambling. The terms of Indiana's law originally allowed for 11 riverboats in the state: five on Lake Michigan, one on Patoka Lake (map location #1) and five along the Ohio River. It was later discovered that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owned the rights to Patoka Lake and they would not allow a riverboat on that body of water. In order to move the location for that 11th riverboat a new law will have to be passed by the Indiana legislature. As of August 2000 there were nine riverboat casinos in operation. The 10th and final Indiana riverboat, Belterra Casino and Resort, was expected to open by November 2000 in Florence (map location #10).
All Indiana riverboats are required to cruise and there are no bet or loss limits imposed on gamblers. Currently, all riverboats go on one-hour cruises and boarding begins 1/2-hour before the scheduled departure time. You are allowed to gamble as soon as you get on the boat and upon returning you have another 1/2 hour to gamble before the next boarding begins. If, due to bad weather, the boat does not cruise, then a dockside gaming session is held and the same admission charges (if any) apply. By state law no one is allowed to enter the casino 1/2-hour after boarding begins. This means that even if the boat is not leaving the dock, you must arrive prior to the scheduled departure time or you will not be permitted to board. If a dockside gaming session is held, you are free to leave the boat at any time. Following is information from the Indiana Gaming Commission regarding average slot payout percentages for the 1999 calendar year from January 1 through December 31:
CASINO PAYBACK % Argosy 94.1 Blue Chip 93.9 Grand Victoria 93.6 Trump Casino 93.5 Harrah's 93.3 Empress Casino 93.2 Caesars Indiana 93.2 Majestic Star 93.1 Casino Aztar 91.9
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines including slot machines, video poker, video keno, etc. As you can see, Argosy Casino returned the most to its electronic machine players, while Casino Aztar returned the least. Unless otherwise noted, all casinos offer: blackjack, craps, roulette, slots, video poker, video keno and Caribbean stud poker. Optional games include: baccarat (B), mini-baccarat (MB), poker (P), pai gow poker (PGP), big 6 wheel (B6) and let it ride (LIR). The minimum gambling age is 21. For more information on Indiana tourism call (800) 289-6646.
www.belterraresortcasino.com Location:(35 miles S.W. of Cincinnati, Ohio) Toll-Free Number: (888) BELTERRA Rooms: 308 Price Range: $79-$149 Suites: 6 Price Range: $500 Restaurants: 6 Buffets: B-$6.95 L-$8.95 D-$12.95 Boardings: 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30am, 3:30pm 5:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pm, 11:30pm, 1:30am Prices: All cruises are free Valet Parking: Free Casino Size: 38,000 Square Feet Other Games: MB, LIR Special Features: 2,700-passenger sidewheeler that cruises on the Ohio River. Every hotel room equipped with whirlpool tub. Health club and spa. 18-hole golf course. 1,500-seat showroom.
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www.boydgaming.com Location:(40 miles E. of Chicago) Reservation Number: (888) 879-7711 Rooms: 180 Price Range:$99-$109 Suites: Held for casino use Restaurants: 3 Buffets: B-$6.99 (Sat-Sun) L-$7.99 D-$9.99 Boardings: 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm, 1am, 3am (Fri/Sat) Prices: All cruises are free Valet Parking: Free Casino Size: 25,000 Square Feet Special Features: 2,000-passenger modern yacht that cruises on a man-made body of water.
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