LA. RIVERBOAT TASK FORCE: Before freezing weather effectively shut down Louisiana’s state agencies this week, The Riverboat Gaming Task Force had been meeting to consider recommendations for Louisiana’s Casino industry which has matured since it became legal in the 1990’s. Ronnie Jones is chairman of both the task force and the state Gaming Control Board, during the last meeting he announced some proposals that would make some significant changes to Louisiana Riverboat Casino operations.“What we're after here is reinvestment in the property to make sure that it's promoting the economy, not just moving gaming from over water onto land.” Allowing Louisiana riverboats to become "land-based casinos" in one of two recommendations the task force is recommending. The other proposal changes the maximum measurement of gaming space from 30,000 square feet to allow for 2,365 gaming positions which would accommodate the larger video slots.
measurement of maximum gaming space from 30,000 square feet to 2,365 gaming positions — thus accommodating the larger modern video slots.
Wade Duty with the Louisiana Casino Association says, “This does not double, triple, or even increase the present number of gaming opportunities.”
But Jones pointed out it's a matter of public perception saying “Anything we do could be considered by some to be an expansion of gaming.” Task force members, who have been working on this project for 17 months, also discussed items they did not recommend, such as permitting sports betting. “That's going to be important to the future of gaming in Louisiana,” Jones says.”That may well be part of an answer to solving some of the revenue problems in the state, but I'm not sure it's
something that this task force can really address. Sports betting is bigger than riverboats.”Riverboat Gaming Task Force members all agree that Sports Betting is a huge issue for the gaming industry which they hope to address in the future.