There are a few casinos located in the commonwealth, the majority on moored scows. The biggest of the Iowa casinos is the Meswaki Bingo Casino Hotel, an Amerindian gambling hall in Tama, with 127,669 square feet of casino room, 1,500 slots, 30 table games, such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat, and many varieties of poker; as well as 3 dining rooms, bimonthly shows, and gambling classes. An additional big Amerindian casino is the Winna Vegas, with 45,000 square feet, 668 slots, and fourteen table games. In addition, the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Council Bluffs never closes, with 38,500 square feet, 1,589 one armed bandits, 36 table games, and four dining rooms. There are numerous other popular Iowa gambling halls, including Harrah’s Council Bluffs, with 28,250 square feet, 1,212 slots, and 39 table games.
A smaller Iowa gambling den is the Diamond Jo, a water based casino in Dubuque, with 17,813 square feet, 776 slot machines, and 19 table games. The Catfish Bend Riverboat, in Fort Madison, with 13,000 sq.ft., 535 one armed bandits, and 14 table games. An additional Iowa riverboat gambling hall, The Isle of Capri, is open all hours, with 24,939 sq.ft., 1,100 slot machines, and 24 table games. The Mississippi Belle II, a 10,577 square foot river based gambling den in Clinton, has 506 one armed bandits, 14 table games, live entertainment, and Thursday twenty-one matches.
Iowa casinos provide a great amount of tax money to the state of Iowa, which has allowed the bankrolling of a lot of state wide activities. Tourism has increased at a fast percentage accompanied with the demand for services and an increase in employment. Iowa casinos have been instrumental to the expansion of the economy, and the enthusiasm for gaming in Iowa is across the board.
