In Mark Twain's day, riverboat gambling brought romance and roguery to the Mississippi River. Now Iowans are betting that it will bring tax revenues and jobs. Last week legalized floating casinos returned to the river for the first time in nearly a century. Three ships, the Diamond Lady, the President and the Casino Belle, left from separate Iowa port cities. They were loaded with slot machines, blackjack tables and roulette wheels as well as bettors who pay from $7.95 for a breakfast cruise to $40 for a weekend jaunt.
Iowa lawmakers approved riverboat gambling three years ago in the hope of...
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