Gambling: Are cruise ships the new Las Vegas?

It is a very American trend in the US market, but one that could permanently change parts of the cruise industry: casinos on cruise ships are increasingly competing with Las Vegas as a gambling paradise. If you can not go on a cruise, do not miss out on the online casino Canada.

Casinos on cruise ships are getting bigger, revenue is being optimized through stricter smoking regulations, VIP areas are being set up especially for Asian customers, and partnerships are being formed with major land-based casino operators. Cruise ships are becoming increasingly attractive to gamblers.

At the same time, the numbers in Las Vegas are declining significantly. In the summer of 2025, the desert city in Nevada recorded an 11 to 12 percent decline in visitors compared to the previous year. In absolute terms, around 400,000 fewer tourists and gamblers visited Las Vegas in June 2024 than in June 2025. Experts see the main reasons for this as the general decline in tourism in the US (except cruise tourism) and the very significant increase in prices for drinks, restaurants, and hotel accommodation in Las Vegas.

A direct correlation with cruises cannot be proven. No studies are showing that former Las Vegas vacationers are now going on cruises instead. Costs and prices are also rising in the cruise industry, but not as significantly as on land.

What is striking, however, is the recent intensification of efforts by US shipping companies to attract gambling customers – more intense than ever before, because gambling has always been big business for cruise operators.

However, the shipping companies remain silent about just how big. The balance sheets do not show casino revenues separately, and independent studies or statistics do not provide any concrete figures either. However, tax data from Alaska provides a cautious glimpse into the dimensions of gambling on board cruise ships. There is a 33 percent tax on the gross revenues of casinos on board cruise ships in Alaskan territorial waters. In 2024, cruise lines paid $26.9 million in gambling taxes there alone.

Royal Caribbean plans largest casino in its fleet Royal Caribbean has just announced that it will install the largest casino in its fleet during the upcoming renovation (“Amplification”) of the Harmony of the Seas. When the Harmony of the Seas sets sail from Barcelona on May 21, 2026, after its stay in the shipyard, the “Casino Royale” will also extend to the former comedy club “The Attic” and the “Crown Lounge,” covering the entire “Entertainment Place” area on Deck 4. During an earlier renovation, Royal Caribbean had already replaced the original jazz club with a new non-smoking casino. This will increase the casino area on the Harmony of the Seas by more than 40 percent.

For the third Icon Class ship, the Legend of the Seas, the cruise line is even expanding the casino to two levels, reports the Royal Caribbean Blog. On other Royal Caribbean ships, too, it can be observed that less popular or less profitable areas are being abandoned in favor of more space for the casino.

And Royal Caribbean is, of course, just one example. Princess Cruises is currently advertising the new Star Princess with the largest casino in its fleet to date, offering “Vegas-caliber gaming.”

Loyalty programs and cooperation with land-based casino companies

Cruise ship gamblers almost live in a world of their own. Those who generate enough revenue at the gaming tables and slot machines receive numerous perks from the casino operators on the ships, including free cruises, much like casino hotels in Las Vegas, which offer their best customers, the “high rollers,” free accommodation in large suites to keep them happy and loyal.

In addition to the normal customer loyalty programs, the major cruise lines each have additional loyalty programs for casino customers on board their ships, such as “Club Royale” at Royal Caribbean, “Blue Chip Club” at Celebrity Cruises, “Carnival Players Club” at Carnival Cruise Line, and “MSC Signature Player Rewards” at MSC Cruises. NCLH even has a cross-brand program called “Casino at Sea Rewards” for NCL, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas.

If you collect enough points, you can get free drinks in the casino or even free cruises. Incidentally, this doesn’t have to be a losing proposition for passengers: what counts is only the turnover, not how much you lose or win while gambling.