The Laws About Gambling At Sea
According to maritime law, the rules that govern all things seaworthy, gambling laws on the waves are determined by the nation the ship is registered with. Simple, eh?
Well, yes and no.
Once a ship is docked or within a certain distance from the coast of a country, then it becomes subject to the law of the land whose coastline it is.
For example, if you are sailing in US waters, activities are governed by US federal and state laws.
And, again under maritime law, international waters become territorial waters when the ship sails within three to 12 miles from the coastline. Should your cruise ship take you to within 12 miles of the coast of the US, the on-board casino will be closed for business.
So with a few exceptions, cruise ship casinos will shut up shop while the ship is docked, to comply with local gambling rules.
This means that if youre exploring the US or another country where gambling is banned on shore, but you had hoped to spend a lot of time in a casino, keep this in mind you may want to choose a cruise itinerary with a lot of sea days.
Top 5 Best Casinos On Cruise Ships
Cruise Ship Casinos Actually Have Windows
Ever gambled in a casino with a view? Of course not. Its an age-old tactic used by land-based casinos to limit the amount of natural light coming in to keep people playing longer instead of thinking about the time. Many cruise ship casinos offer plentiful windows running down the sides of the ship. And if you get a seat near one, you can have a great view of the passing water while playing. Its a unique view for a casino and actually makes us want to stick around longer!
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Enforcement Of The Law
There was once an incident off the shore of California by Santa Monica Bay. A man, Tony Cornero, owned a ship called “Rex.” Cornero licensed his ship from the state of Nevada, where gambling was legal, and set anchor three miles out from the coast of California. There were water taxis that would carry boat loads of people out to the “Rex” and they could gamble on the ship. A State Attorney General, Earl Warren, did not like having this ship off the coast of his state. Warren set out with the sheriff department and drove boats out to the “Rex” to shut it down. Cornero would not give in for eight days. But when he did the dispute went to the courts. Californias supreme court decided that “three mile line” that marked international waters was not actually only three miles out from the nearest shore. The “Rex” was shut down permanently.
Can You Smoke In The Casino On Virgin Voyages Cruises
Guests cannot smoke in the casino on Virgin Voyages cruises. Virgin Voyages have strict rules about where smoking is allowed and cruisers who break these rules will incur a fee and possible disembarkment.
From Virgin Voyages terms and conditions:
Smoking areas are provided around the vessel. A Guest found smoking anything, to include vapes, in their room or other non-designated areas onboard, agree to a $1,000 fee to be added to their onboard account, and may be disembarked from the voyage, which may be at a port of call.
If the above does happen you are responsible for all costs which might happen when you are getting home. If youre under 21 an adult would have to be disembarked with you too which could get seriously expensive.
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Legal Gambling Ages On Cruise Ships
Again, this works on an international vessel basis and, of course, on whose water you are floating at the time.
If youre complying with US law, or are on specific ships that stop in US ports, you must be at least 21-years-old to gamble.
However, much like the rest of the rules, if the nation under whose flag you are sailing has a more liberal approach to gambling, then the age cut-off might drop to 18, as it is in the UK.
Even then, you could still be at the discretion of the cruise line, with some requiring that passengers aged between 18 and 21 be accompanied by a passenger over 21 if they want to gamble and drink.
If in doubtalways check before you book.
What Is In The Casino On Cunard Cruise Ships
The casino contains a box of slot games and traditional gaming tables.
Queen Mary 2:
- 5 Gaming Tables
- 44 Slot Machines
Most of the tables onboard have a minimum bed of around £3-£25 and a maximum of something in the region of £100-500. Some slot machines do still take cash and per play you could be spending as little as £1, 50p or 20p.
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Casino Games Available On All Ships
- 2 tables for Black Jack – the minimum bet is $5. At high-limit tables, it varies from $25 minimum to $500 maximum. higher maximums are subject to approval, the dealer follows Las Vegas-style casino rules .
- 1 table for Craps/Dice – if you don’t know how to play, one of the casino staff members will walk you through the basics. ships also provide double odds on craps , with the possibility for high rollers to request from the casino management higher maximums.
- Poker games – 3-card poker, electronic PokerPro tables , “Caribbean Stud Poker”, “Caribbean Draw Poker”, minimum bet $5, high-stakes tables and tournaments.
- 2 Roulette tables – just pick the right choice at the right time!
Carnival Casino chips- denominations, color, value
- $25 , $100
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These Are The Ultimate Casino Cruise Ships
Gambling in the casino is a popular cruise ship activity, with many of the major ships and cruise lines having onboard games as part of their adult entertainment. The most luxurious ships have casinos that rival those on the land in style, sophistication, and even size. Not everyone goes on these cruises exclusively for gambling, but the option is there for those who love taking chances.
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Things You Need To Know About Casino Cruises
- Özgür Töre
- 04 April 2021
While a regular cruise wont guarantee a casino parlor, casino cruises are designed to cater to customers who want to gamble on vacation.
Famous cruise ships like Royal Caribbean International feature blackjack, roulette, poker, and slots, but others add even more games like Princess Cruises. However, you can come to expect these 8 things on every casino cruise.
How Far Out To Sea You Need To Be To Gamble Legally
This depends on the country you have just cast off from.
Gambling laws in the US and the UK are very different. In the US, where casinos are restricted by state, ships must be a minimum of 12 miles out before the first dice is thrown.
When it comes to the UK Gambling Commission, things are far more relaxed. Cruise ships do need to have a premises license if they offer commercial gambling, but if the ship is on a journey into or from international waters then no premises license is even required at all. You can gamble away in UK waters without batting an eyelid.
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Gambling Ships In Hawaii
Hawaii is one of three states that does not legalize any types of wagering such as gambling. So for a gambling ship to be sent from a Hawaiian island would be a very hard accomplishment. Hawaii has some strict laws on what types and which country flagged ships can dock in its ports. These ships that have gambling on them are cruise ships. Even though Hawaii has strict rules on its ports, a foreign flagged cruise ship can still dock in a Hawaiian port if it travels in international waters. During these cruises there would be gambling on the ship once it got to international waters. A cruise ship would not be allowed to have any type of gambling aboard its ship if its initial or final destination was not to a port on one of the Hawaiian Islands even when those ships are in international waters.
Penny Slots And Regular Slots Are Very Common
Youll never find a casino cruise without hundreds of slot machines. Since slot machines, like Sweet Bonanza Slots, are easy to set up and maintain, they become big attractions on cruises. Penny slots are also available in the casino room, with bets starting as little as a penny and as high as $2. Penny slots are the perfect way to enjoy the rush of gambling without overspending.
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Oasis Of The Seas & Allure Of The Seas
The largest ships in the world Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are the unsurprising hosts of the largest casinos at sea with the gaming rooms containing 450 slot machines apiece. Blackjack, roulette and poker tables with skilled croupiers are also abundant in the main casino lounges alongside a bar area, poker room, and the players club.
The whole casino pays tribute to the history of casinos with a Museum of Gaming walkway entrance leading from the main body of the ship.
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Countries To Keep An Eye On
Gambling laws can change quickly, so the above list is not exhaustive.
Always remember to do your research on local gambling laws before you roll the dice, but keep your eyes peeled for developments in some of these countries
In some nations such as North Korea and Cambodia, land-based gambling is illegal for natives yet legal for visitors, which has led to a casino-tourism boom for the latter.
Its reported that in Lebanon there is only one licensed casino on land. But this just means that inventive locals and tourists board a cruise ship from Beirut, Abou Merhi Cruises: Orient Queen, where you can gamble to your hearts content off-shore.
Youll find a similar situation in Israel, where casino betting on land is illegal, but there are a number of cruise ships with casinos in the major ports, that will allow you spin the roulette wheel in international waters.
Bermuda and Malta are two more nations where the waters are muddied, as gambling is permitted only in ports on overnighting cruise ships that have had a license approved, and between set hours.
While Japan has finally given the green light to the construction of three integrated casino resorts its first ever. But the news hasnt been a hit with large swathes of the public with many people wondering whether casinos will increase crime levels in Japan.
Still, if youre planning a cruise in Asia, these developments are worth keeping tabs on.
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Casinos Accept Cruise Card And Cash
A cruise card acts like a debit card while youre on a cruise. To fill up a cruise card, you must transfer money into it before sailing. Otherwise, youll have to pay an expensive fee to withdraw cash from the ATM. If you have money with you on the cruise ship, you can pay with bills or use the cruise card if you feel uncomfortable using cash for your transactions.
What Is In The Casino On Scarlet Lady
The casino will include a mix of slot machines and table games.
From the Virgin Voyages FAQs:
What type of machines and games will there be in the casino?
Feelin lucky? Hope you said yes because our casinos will have a mix of traditional, vintage, and modern games available. So make sure to wear your lucky knickers .
The casino will include:
115 Slot Machines
10 Gaming Tables
Craps: 1 Craps Table They do allow side bets/ bonus bet up to 5xs off
Roulette: 2 x Roulette Tables
Texas Holdem: 1 x Electronic Texas Holdem
Blackjack: 1 x single deck blackjack
And More: 5 x tables that include- blackjack , three card poker, Ultimate Texas Holdem and Baccarat.
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How Do I Learn More About Cruise Liner Gambling Casino
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The what to anticipate on a Cruise collection, written by vacation cruise naysayers editorial staff, was a resource tips, wherein most of us answer the most common questions regarding cruise ship living such as travel delicacies, cabins, beverage and onboard enjoyable and funds matters before and during your travel and seeing harbors of contact your very own cruise.
Craps Games With Bad Bets
Few places in the casino can be as exciting as a craps table thats rocking on a busy night. The cheers can be heard no matter where on the floor you are. On the flipside, a table that goes cold can clear out quickly, making the craps table feel like a graveyard. After all, no one wants to keep playing when they are losing money.
To keep more of your hard-earned clams, its smart to know what are good bets at the craps table and what are bad bets. What youll find on the cruise ship are small tweaks that are actually poor bets.
First, youll often find the Big 6 | Big 8 bets. This large area pays you even money if there is a six or an eight rolled on the table. But if you simply place the same bet with a dealer, then youd earn 7-to-6 .
Casinos place these Big 6 | Big 8 in order to lure in bets with a higher house edge. Even Caesars Entertainment have written about how poor of a bet this spot is on a craps table:
Heres the thing. Dont bet on the Big 6 and 8. Yes, theyre big. Weve established that. And red, too. Its not a horrible bet, we know that. But betting on the 6 and 8, on another part of the table, makes a lot more sense.
Up near the dealer are a row of numbers, including the 6 and 8, and when you place your bet there, it pays 7-to-6, rather than even money. For betting on the same numbers.
Doesnt sound like a big difference? A bet on the Big 6 and 8 has a 9 percent house advantage . A place bet of $6 has a house advantage of just 1.5 percent.
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Is There A Casino Loyalty Club Through Which I Can Earn Points And Perks
Most big ship casinos offer a loyalty program that is separate from the general cruise line loyalty program. As you bet money, you earn points toward rewards, usually free drinks and cruise sailings. You have to bet a lot of money to rack up a significant number of points, so don’t gamble in the casino just to try and earn rewards you’ll end up spending more money than the reward is worth. The rewards you earn on one cruise ship do not always transfer to another ship, even within the same fleet. If earning casino points on multiple cruise ships is important to you, check with the cruise line ahead of time to get specific rules of the casino loyalty program.
When Will The Casino On A Cunard Cruise Be Open
Cruise ship casinos arent allowed to be open when they are docked or within certain waters. For this reason, the cruise ship casino is often closed. The opening times depend entirely on the itinerary of the cruise and they are amended whenever necessary.
On a typical sea day, the casino may be open from around 11 am until close. The closing time is up to the staff on board but it is worth noting that Cunard cruises are generally quite relaxed and as a result, most people go to bed pretty early.
During my cruise on the Queen Victoria, it wasnt uncommon to walk around the ship at 10.30 pm and not see another person!
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How Big Are Cruise Ship Casinos
Some of the worlds most massive cruise ships are the Freedom of the Seas, the Norwegian Prima, and the Royal Princess. These three are slightly above one thousand feet long, or over three hundred meters, for those used to the metric system. On average, their gaming floor sprawl some ten thousand square feet. For comparison, high-end Vegas spots like the Bellagio, MGM Grand, and the Aria have floors that stretch over one hundred square feet. So, they are ten times larger than cruise ship ones. That said, cruise ship casinos, size-wise, are more comparable to local Vegas locales and ones that only offer class two gambling machines.
Travels can expect to find around two to three hundred slots and anywhere from twenty to fifty table games on cruise ships. Of course, these numbers only hold for the vessels in the category of the three mentioned above. Drink service and comp potential on cruises are similar to Strip casinos, but logically, you cannot get a free room and board to keep playing on a ship. In terms of decor, cruise floors rival land-based casino ones.