A new law allowed the casinos to be rebuilt on land and hoteliers invested in the construction of new or refurbished casinos. But when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, all the casinos were either severely damaged or completely destroyed. All of the city's casinos were originally floating gaming venues: They were required by Mississippi law to be built on barges separate from the land communities (in an attempt to isolate gaming activity from the general public). Many of the area's casinos are connected to megaresorts that bring in millions of dollars for the city, and they have certainly seen some changes (and improvements) over the years. Biloxi's casinos draw gamblers far and wide – and they're a big part of the city's tourism and history.