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A legislative task force in the US state of Louisiana is recommending that the state’s iconic riverboat casinos be permitted to develop land-based gambling venues.

The Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Task Force said that turning Louisiana’s 15 riverboat casinos into land-based venues would boost the industry.

The recommendations, if passed into law, would enable the river casinos to operate on land within 1,200ft of their berth while the upper limit for floor size would relate to the numbers of machines/tables and not simply a square-foot maximum.

A bill is set to go before the legislature once the next session begins in March with likely sponsor senator Ronnie Jones acknowledging that while there is “some opposition” the state needs to improve on the $906m income the casino sector in Louisiana currently generates.