Dockside Gambling Requires New Mindset

The numbers are in and they're up...WAY up. People are gambling more money than ever before on Illinois riverboat casino destinations since the introduction of dockside gambling in late June of last year.

The record gross revenues reported by the Illinois Gaming Board are a direct result of allowing riverboat gambling patrons to enter and exit the vessels whenever they choose.

A new population of gamblers did not suddenly materialize with the introduction of dockside gambling. It's just that more time on the boat translates into more time at the slot machines and the gaming tables.

When the boats had to adhere to cruising and boarding schedules, patrons budgeted their time around their arrival and departure for a gaming session. There was time spent in the pavilion waiting to board and time spent on the vessel waiting for the doors to open.

Waiting patrons are not gambling patrons. Dockside gambling has eliminated waiting time and converted it into gambling time, which has generated increased profits for the riverboat casinos.

It's more important now than ever before to exercise wise money management at Illinois riverboat casinos. Taking it one step further, maybe it's time to think about making dockside gambling work for us just as it has for the casino owners and operators.

One sure step in that direction is to continue to stick to a budget for each gambling session and resist the temptation to gamble more just because the convenience of dockside gambling has made it possible for us to leave the vessel anytime we desire. Remember that even fifteen more minutes of gambling, especially when it comes to chasing your money, can prove disastrous.

If you're ahead of the game and content with your profits, it's time to leave. Just because you have freedom doesn't mean that you should squander the time by betting your profits and risk losing them.

The solution is to schedule your gaming sessions by planning to arrive at a certain time and leave at a certain time. Budget your time and your money just as you would if you were on a vacation in Las Vegas, where gambling 'round the clock has long been the accepted norm.