Laughlin is in Nevada across the Colorado River from Bullhead City.  We’ve been here almost a week taking advantage of $35 a week RV parking behind the Tropicana Casino and Hotel.  With our solar panels and the dump and water provided we could theoretically stay here all winter – except there is a two-week limit.  It’s pretty quiet because we’re well back from the strip and there’s just desert at the back of the lot.   There are many RV’s parked at other casinos but they all are closer to the road.  You would have to know in advance that this RV lot is even here.  The Colorado Belle across the street is right on the river.
My self-imposed gambling allowance is $10 a day.  I went into the hole two days ago so can’t gamble again until tomorrow which I probably won’t.  I think that years ago the machines were much looser and you could at least have some fun for a few hours.  The less that people come out and gamble the more the casino’s tighten up the machines.  I worked in the accounting department of a casino in Colorado after I returned from Germany and saw this first hand.  Each machine’s average payout varied, determined by the computer chip that was inside.  Back then the overall percentage payout on our dollar machines was 96%, quarters 92%, and nickels 85%. The casino was losing money so they tightened them up (by changing the chips) which drove more customers away.  Word gets around in the small gambling towns because so many of the gamblers are regulars.  Anyway, that casino finally went bankrupt last year and I was surprised they lasted so long.  It’s really the taxes that eat them up.  You wouldn’t believe how much money the city and state takes.