The President Riverboat and Casino in St Louis was closed down on Tuesday for the second time this month due to rising flood waters on the Mississippi River. It was the fifth time in the last 13 months that the casino had to close because of weather related problems.

I think that it is about time that the States that allow gambling should do away with the law requiring the casinos to be on the water. This law is outdated and completely hypocritical by saying that gambling is all right as long as it is done on the water. The original casino boats were designed to carry passengers out into International waters where gambling was legal because it was out of the States jurisdiction. When gambling started to spread across the country some States legalized gambling but only if it was done on the water.

It is time to consider the safety factor involved with these floating structures. Mississippi found this out when most of the Gulf casinos were destroyed by hurricane Katrina. If they had been land based structures they probably would have survived. If a State legalizes casino gambling then they should allow land based structures. What do you think?