Casino Gambling Has Storied History in Monroe
Monroe's current attempt to bring riverboat gambling to its citizens is just the latest chapter in a history of more than 150 years of gambling in the city. City officials are trying to lure a riverboat casino to the banks of the Ouachita River. If it comes to fruition, it would be the first time in nearly a decade since a form of organized gambling has been allowed in Monroe.
Although there's been relatively few periods of time in the last 40 years that organized gambling has raised its head in Monroe, the last century and a half in Monroe's history has seen several forms of gambling come and go, including horse racing, slot machines and gambling establishments. "Monroe has always been a gambling town," said Larry Foreman, director of the Ouachita Parish Public Library's Special Collections department.
"There was a whole lot of betting going on in Monroe for many years. "1848-1913: First opportunity The first opportunity for organized gambling in Monroe actually began in the late 1840s when the state held a legal lottery. By 1878, the Louisiana Lottery was the last surviving lottery in the United States. It lasted until 1895 when Congress enacted a prohibition against moving lottery tickets across state lines because of rampant fraud and public bribery.
June 12, 2006
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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