Chicago's Top Riverboat Gambling Casinos

According to the Chicago Traveler, 1990 saw a change in gambling laws in Illinois. The Riverboat Gambling Act allowed fir Riverboat gambling on any water that borders Illinois, excluding Lake Michigan. Because of that exclusion, Chicago Gambling Riverboats are located on the Mississippi, Fox, Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers. Indiana, as of 1993, allows Riverboat Gambling on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan.

You must be 21 to board the riverboat and you can't use cash to gamble. Chips and tokens are used by all. Each riverboat offers slots as well as video machines. The typical table games can be found; baccarat, craps, poker, roulette, and blackjack. All allow you to place various wagers.

One of my personal favorites is the Grand Victoria Casino. The Grand Victoria is in the northwest section of Elgin and is a beautifully decorated, Victorian style casino. They have plenty of free parking and are open daily from 8:30 am to 6:30 am. It doesn't cost anything to get in, but you must be 21. They have a very large selection of slot machines and blackjack tables as well as baccarat, craps, roulette and poker tables. There is a nice gift shop.

Another great choice is the Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino. The Par-A-Dice is a dockside casino and is open from 9 am to 6 am. There is no cost to enter and you do have to be 21 years old. The rich gold, brown and red décor give the place a lavish feel. There are enough slot and video machines to keep you busy all night. If that's not your game, you'll be happy to know they have plenty of the usual stuff, roulette, craps, poker, baccarat and blackjack. There is plenty of free parking and dining and lodging are available on property.