Going on a cruise is a lot of fun. When it comes to playing games in a casino or gambling, things are not as clear-cut on a cruise ship as they are on land. They are particularly confusing as it pertains to online casinos.
Most ships will have physical or traditional casinos where you can play, and they are bound mainly by maritime law.
However, things get complicated if you have a device with you and want to play games in an online casino when on a cruise. The following are legal considerations to make while playing in online casinos on a cruise:
Jurisdiction
Casinos have to obtain a license from a regulatory authority to operate. The casinos have to operate within the regulator’s jurisdiction, or else they will have to obtain another license.
However, the issue gets complicated as it pertains to online gambling. If you visit new live casinos on your vacation, you should know the online casino’s jurisdiction. You should also know that cruise ships are governed by the country’s gaming laws on whose port they dock.
For example, it may be legal to play online gambling when approaching the coast of Barcelona because online gambling is legal in Spain. However, it is illegal to play online gambling while near the coast of Miami, as online gambling is illegal in the US.
Maritime Law
Maritime law is another crucial legal consideration when playing in an online casino while on a cruise. Maritime law can be a highly complex subject, but there are elements you have to understand.
One way traditional casinos differ from cruise casinos is the matter of jurisdiction. When a cruise ship is more than 12 miles off the coast of a particular country, it is considered to be in international waters.
Therefore, the vessel will be governed by maritime law meaning the ship is regarded as a ‘territorial extension’ from its country of origin. If the boat is from a country where online gambling is legal, it will be acceptable to play online casino games in open waters and vice versa.
Age
Your age will be another vital consideration when playing games in an online casino while on a cruise. There are restrictions for online gambling, just like traditional gambling though the former is harder to enforce.
Some countries require the player to be at least 18, while others have an age limit of 21 to play online gambling games while on a cruise ship legally. The legal enforcement of the age restriction for cruise ship gambling will depend on the flag state or the ship’s country of origin.
Therefore, if your home country allows players over 18 to be involved in online gambling, you can play online casino games on a cruise ship as long as you meet the age limit and vice versa.
Taxes
If you win any money while playing online casino games on a cruise ship, you have to consider the issue of taxes. You will have to pay taxes on any winnings, depending on the cruise ship’s country of origin and the ship’s location in international waters.
The concerned regulatory authority and government will pursue you for unpaid taxes, so it is vital to do your research and determine which country you will have to forfeit taxes if you want to play online casino games while on a cruise.
Online casino games are fun, exciting, and potentially lucrative. If you want to play online casino games while on a cruise, there are various legal considerations you have to make. Taxes. Maritime law, jurisdiction, and age restrictions are some of them. It would be best to consult a lawyer and learn more about the legal aspects of online gambling.
