Riverboat casinos guide

What are riverboat casinos?

A riverboat casino is a licensed casino built on a boat or barge, usually on a river or other waterway. Six states are commonly grouped as the riverboat states because their commercial casino laws began with gambling on the water: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Louisiana.

The label now covers a mix of properties. Some still sit on hulls or moored barges, while many look like any land casino from the inside. Louisiana is the clearest case in our sources: its Gaming Control Board's 30th annual report (opens in a new tab) lists 15 riverboat casinos alongside one land-based casino in New Orleans and four racinos.

This page, one of our casino guides, sets out what each river state licenses, what its regulator says about online casinos, and how a riverboat trip compares with playing online. Each state's own rules decide what's allowed, so we link every state's hub as we go.

Each state's original rules on cruising, docking and boat size have changed over time, and those details aren't covered here. Check the state regulator for current requirements before planning a visit.

Riverboat casino states at a glance: casinos, regulators and online status

Two counts in that table depend on the source. Iowa's legislative fiscal brief lists 20 licensed facilities, including Cedar Crossing in Linn County, licensed in February 2025 and expected to open in December 2026, while the American Gaming Association counts 19. Louisiana's board lists 15 riverboats, one land-based casino and four racinos, and the AGA gives a commercial total of 20. Both figures are shown because they measure slightly different things.

State pages carry the full detail: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Louisiana.

Louisiana riverboat casinos: the state that still counts boats

Louisiana's Gaming Control Board oversees 15 riverboat licenses, Caesars New Orleans as the single land-based casino, and racinos at Delta Downs, Louisiana Downs, Evangeline Downs and the Fair Grounds. Three tribes, the Chitimacha, Coushatta and Tunica-Biloxi, run casinos under compacts made under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Online casinos aren't legal in Louisiana. The board says it sent over 40 cease-and-desist letters to offshore and illegal online sweepstakes operators in fiscal year 2024–2025, and on June 17, 2025 it announced enforcement against illegal offshore wagering. The statute it cites is La. R.S. 14:90.3, gambling by computer.

That law grew in 2026. Act 182 (HB 883), signed May 15, 2026 and effective August 1, 2026, defines dual-currency casino-style sweepstakes as illegal gambling by computer, raises the maximum fine to $100,000 with up to five years, and bars payment processors from facilitating them.

Sports betting is legal in most parishes, with retail betting from October 2021 and mobile from January 28, 2022; the online tax rose to 21.5% from August 1, 2025. Daily fantasy went live July 15, 2021 for players 21 and over. Players in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport can read more on Louisiana sports betting.

Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri: Midwest riverboat casinos and the internet

Iowa

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission states plainly that Iowa law does not allow online casinos, slots or poker (opens in a new tab). Its September 3, 2025 release adds that unlicensed operators aren't subject to independent testing or player protection requirements, that licensed operators may not accept credit cards, and that crypto gambling isn't allowed. A 2026 law, SF 2289, gives the commission cease-and-desist and injunction powers against unlicensed gambling and illegal sweepstakes.

Illinois

The Illinois Gaming Board says state law prohibits operating internet sites that allow gambling, and it publishes its cease-and-desist letters (opens in a new tab) online. In February 2026 the board and the attorney general announced more than 60 letters to online casino and sweepstakes platforms, citing 720 ILCS 5/28-1(a)(12) among other statutes. Sports betting has been legal since March 2020, with ten licensed online sportsbooks.

Indiana

Indiana's Gaming Commission says its illegal gambling statute, IC 35-45-5, specifically makes gambling over the internet illegal. HEA 1052 (2026) lets prosecutors send notice to illegal internet gambling operators and bans dual-currency sweepstakes from July 1, 2026, with a $100,000 civil penalty. Players in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Evansville can read the detail on Indiana sweepstakes casinos.

Missouri

Missouri's 13 commercial casinos, as counted by the AGA, are regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission. Online casinos aren't legal. Sports betting launched online and in person at 12:00 a.m. on December 1, 2025, with a minimum age of 21, while the Missouri Lottery sets 18 for its games.

Mississippi riverboat and dockside casinos: no online play

Mississippi's 25 commercial casinos (an AGA figure) and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' tribal casinos make it one of the larger casino states in the South. The Mississippi Gaming Commission's FAQ (opens in a new tab) is direct about the internet: any casino game or sports wagering conducted online where money is paid and won is illegal.

Sports betting is allowed only at licensed casinos, including the Choctaw property, and mobile betting works only on casino premises. Paid daily fantasy is legal online or in person if run by a commission-licensed operator under Miss. Code 97-33-301. A June 17, 2025 commission notice said cease-and-desist letters had gone to illegal online sports and casino sites, and that players could face prosecution and forfeiture of deposits.

There's no specific sweepstakes ban statute in Mississippi, but the commission says there are no legal exceptions for so-called sweepstakes casinos.

Riverboat casino vs online casino: what changes for you

Inside a riverboat casino, the state regulator approves the games, checks the operator and handles complaints. Online in a river state, the only real-money casinos available are offshore, and none of the six states licenses or oversees them.

One more difference: river-state regulators publish warnings about offshore sites. Iowa's commission notes that unlicensed operators skip independent testing and player protection rules, and Mississippi's warns of forfeited deposits. Those are statements about operators and risks, so read your own state's page rather than assuming the rules match.

What a riverboat slot session costs compared with online

Slot math is the same on a riverboat and a phone: expected loss equals total spins × bet × (100% − RTP). Land machines and online slots publish different RTPs, so check the game's information screen or help file.

For an online example, third-party listings give RealTime Gaming's 777 slot a 97% RTP and Storm Lords 96.25%. The table uses those figures with example spin counts; the counts are illustrations, not measured speeds.

Doubling the spins doubles the expected cost, and online slots let you spin as fast as you tap. Short-term results swing far from these averages, especially on high-volatility games, which is why a firm budget matters more than any estimate. Our explainer on how slot RTP works covers the rest.

Offshore online casinos in river states: checks before you deposit

Because no river state licenses online casinos, any real-money casino site you see advertised there is offshore. Our partners fall into that group. Silver Oak publishes an Anjouan license held by Primrose Media Limited; SlotoCash and Decode don't publish a license on their sites, and third parties report different things.

Regulators outside the river states have acted against some of these brands. The Michigan Gaming Control Board named Silver Oak in cease-and-desist letters on April 9, 2025 (opens in a new tab) and SlotoCash on October 8, 2026, describing the named sites as illegal offshore operators. Our explainer on whether offshore casinos are legal sets out the federal and state picture.

1. Read your state's page and its regulator's statement on online gambling before anything else.
2. Find the casino's license and operator in its terms, and note any conflict with third-party reports.
3. Check the weekly withdrawal cap, fees and processing times in the banking terms.
4. Read the bonus terms for wagering, max cashout, eligible games and maximum bet before opting in.
5. Have identity documents ready, since withdrawals usually require verification.
6. Set a deposit limit and a stop point before your first deposit.

Visiting a riverboat casino: practical steps

1. Confirm the casino is on the state regulator's licensed list and check its hours and age rules; bring photo ID.
2. Decide your gambling budget at home and bring only that amount to the floor.
3. Join the players club only if you'd play anyway, and remember comps reward volume, not winning.
4. Ask the cage about W-2G forms if you hit a large slot win; for 2026 payments the slot threshold is $2,000.
5. Use the casino's or state's self-exclusion program if you need a break from gambling.

Players planning a trip to the coast instead can compare with our Atlantic City vs online casinos guide, and tribal properties are covered in the Native American casinos guide.

Problem gambling help in the river states

The National Problem Gambling Helpline is free and confidential around the clock: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), or chat through NCPG's help and treatment page (opens in a new tab). Several river states also run their own lines and programs.

Our directory of state problem gambling programs lists more options.

Online casino offers via our links for river-state readers

These partner offers are from offshore casinos. None is licensed by Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana or any other US state, and each of those regulators says online casinos aren't allowed under its law, so check your state's position before signing up. Offers are for new players, 21+ (18+ where allowed), and terms apply.

SlotoCash Casino: $6,000 Welcome Bonus + 60 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). The casino's site advertises its own package of $7,777 + 300 spins over five deposits, with 25x wagering on deposit plus bonus, a $20 minimum per bonus and no max cashout; its banking page sets a $5,000 weekly withdrawal cap.

Decode Casino: $5,000 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Decode's own site headlines a $111 free chip and crypto bonuses without visible terms. Third-party reviews list code DECODE111 (111% up to $1,111, 25x bonus plus deposit, $25 minimum); codes change, so rely on the terms at sign-up. Reviews disagree on the weekly cap ($2,500 or $5,000).

Silver Oak Casino: $2,500 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Its site advertises a $10,000 package across ten deposits with codes SILVEROAK1 to SILVEROAK10 and “no max withdrawal”, but the offer page says 30x playthrough while the terms say 40x for slots and 60x for table games and video poker. Deposits start at $30.

We earn a commission from these links, and the ranking is commercial. Bonuses are for slots; table games are often excluded or count less, so check the terms before playing.

21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).