Nation IN BRIEF : LOUISIANA : Riverboat Gambling Measure Approved

Louisiana’s Legislature voted to allow gambling casinos on paddle-wheel riverboats on the Mississippi and 10 other rivers and lakes in the state. Also approved was legalized gambling on video poker machines to be regulated by a state computer. The bills go to Gov. Buddy Roemer, who has said he will probably approve riverboat gambling, but hadn’t decided on the video poker. Voters earlier approved a lottery to start this fall. Financial problems and competition from other states that have expanded gambling appeared to have swayed lawmakers.