Most of The Belle's patrons play the video machines, enveloped by the clanging of coins against metal trays when players win. Only a handful sit at tables with live dealers and other live players. Food and free beer is nearby. Waitresses are always available. Players don't have to move from their stools.
Some players dump money into two or three machines at the same time.
The noise, flashing lights, free alcohol and smoke-filled air all contribute to an atmosphere that removes them from their daily worlds and cares. For better meals, players can walk into the adjacent Argosy Festival Atrium, a beautiful glass-roofed building dotted with little shops and attractive greenery. The atrium is in the heart of Baton Rouge's downtown business district. If you run out of gambling cash while you are playing, riverboat casino owners make it easy to get more. Just north of the Belle, directly opposite the state capitol grounds, floats the Casino Rouge, another riverboat that takes daily cruises up and down the river.