December 13th, 2010 – by Glen Farmer
A study has found that casinos in Indiana could save approximately $1 million dollars per riverboat per year if a new proposal is passed that would allow gambling companies to change the way their boats operate.
The proposal would allow the gambling companies to cease using motors, crews, and captains to keep the riverboats running. Due to a law that passed in 2002, which allows the riverboats to remain docked while gamblers participate in the games, these facets of the experience have become essentially superfluous.
The state’s lawmakers have stated that increased competition has been keeping Indiana’s casinos from performing at peak efficiency. “We want to do what we can to help our existing casinos compete without the expansion of gambling,” stated Senator Ron Alting (R-Lafayette), the chairman of the Senate Public policy Committee.
In addition to saving costs on the operation of the boats, this could allow companies to replace existing structures with barges rather than ships capable of transport.
Indiana’s gambling industry has been accepting some extra money from surrounding states, particularly Illinois. Illinois gamblers, who cannot smoke while they hit the games, have been going to Indiana in order to smoke while they play.
The biggest cause of concern is where the crews and captains will go for employment if they are laid off by the gambling companies who are no longer required to employ them.