Onboard casinos - who regulates?

[MTJSR]

Casinos in Nevada are regulated by the Nevada Gaming Commission. They protect the gambler from possible cheating casino owners and set the odds for all games played. Princess apparently does not operate their own casinos, they are run by an outside company? My question is, who regulates these onboard casinos and sets the odds for slots etc.

[snrlnd]

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), it is more or less self regulated by the cruise lines themselves whether they own their own casinos or not.

 

http://www2.cruising.org/industry/gambling_guidelines.cfm

[cruznliz]

I have heard that Carnival Corporation runs the Princess casinos ever since Carnival purchased Princess. They also run the Bingo games. Previously Princess ran both themselves.

 

I ALWAYS write on the comment cards that the slots should be looser, but it hasn't done much good. My mother, who loves Las Vegas, refuses to play onboard because the slots are so tight. :eek:

[Pam in CA]

Carnival Corporation & LLC (as opposed to Carnival Cruise Lines) manages all of the casinos throughout their brands. I'm not sure what the regulations are but any legal issues onboard any ship are according to the laws of the ship's registration. In other words, if the ship is registered in Barbados, it's laws are in effect. If the ship is registered in Bermuda (as are a couple of Princess ships), then those laws are in effect. I have no idea if this also applies to casino operations as Carnival Corporation & LLC is a multi-national corporation and if they manage the casinos, US or British laws could be in effect.

[Drews_Cruise]

Regulated or not, they are there for one purpose. To entertain and take your money.

[Druke I]

That reads like two purposes.

[numbersix]

Casinos in Nevada are regulated by the Nevada Gaming Commission. They protect the gambler from possible cheating casino owners and set the odds for all games played. Princess apparently does not operate their own casinos, they are run by an outside company? My question is, who regulates these onboard casinos and sets the odds for slots etc.

 

Excellent question!!! I've always suspected that, in essence, no one regulates casinos at sea. I don't like that fact, and I also don't like the tighter rules (for Blackjack, for example) that (of course) favour the house. That, and having a certain facility with mathematics, keeps me from playing whilst aboard ship.

 

I have, admittedly, played some (very) low stakes roulette, and only on formal night, so I can feel (but, unfortunately, not look) like James Bond for a while--but after a while, being sandwiched between 'designer' fleece, and shorts and a t-shirt kills the atmosphere. ;)

[CALMOM]

Unless you want to pay to play, then, stay away from the slots. You need to stick to the table games were they cannot be fixed, not to pay. The only time I play the slots is during the slot tournament where someone is going to win, regardless. Fortunately, I have won 3 of the slot tournaments, which wasn't bad for my $20 investment, I won $500:D

[JUL MONT]

I have been playing black jack in vegas and atlantic city for years..where you have a chance to win or at least brake even..

But on a cruise ship it`s different.

Everybody knows that replacing hight cards from the deck and

putting smaller cards will advantage the house..

I ask once that they have to show the cards ( face up ) before

starting to play the answer from the ( pit boss ) was just trust me....ho yes.....so stay away from black jack tables

[ourturn]

Can anyone tell me if the Casino is open on nights that the ship is in port in the Eastern Caribbean? St Thomas, Martin, Tortola etc. Or is it only open on Sea Days? Thanks

[bhopal21]

The ship (Emerald, 2 weeks ago) was not in port at night but during the day and when we were at Grand Turk the casino was open; but closed at other ports.

 

Mike:)

[ourturn]

Thanks Mike. Do you know how the slot tournaments work. I've always wanted to participate but am intimidated by them.

[bhopal21]

Thanks Mike. Do you know how the slot tournaments work. I've always wanted to participate but am intimidated by them.

 

Do I?

 

I knew less about slots than you two weeks ago when our friends badgered me to enter the tournament. They kept saying "it's only $20 and you could win $500".

 

Short story is I entered and had almost the lowest score in the qualifying round; but came back at 2pm for the wildcard drawing for position #8 and they drew my ticket. Everyone else got to pick their favorite machine and of course I was left with the last one. The host covered the score window on each machine and at the end of the tournament uncovered them one by one with 5225 being the high score. When she got to my machine and uncovered it my score was 5236:eek::eek:

 

She then proceeded to count out the five one hundred dollar bills into my outstretched palm.

 

My friends were p----d and I will always enter the slot tournaments from now on.:p

 

Seriously, it was a lot of fun with everyone cheering on their player and of course the money was the icing on the cake.

 

Good luck,

 

Mike:)

[ourturn]

That sounds awesome! I can't wait to try it. I sail the Emerald April 18th, I'll let you know if I get in. Thanks a bunch :D

[CALMOM]

Thanks Mike. Do you know how the slot tournaments work. I've always wanted to participate but am intimidated by them.

 

Don't be intimidated, just give them $20 and hope you get a lucky machine and end up with the highest score, that's it. It's a lot of fum and people are screaming with excitement, you would think they were going to win a million dollars. I won 2 slot tournaments on the same cruise, they have two tournaments during the cruise. I won on our last Princess cruise to Alaska. Now DH expects me to win every time to help pay off the bill at the end of the cruise;). You'll love it, try it:D

[West Coast]

Regulated or not, they are there for one purpose. To entertain and take your money.

 

That reads like two purposes.

 

No sense splitting hairs... they're there to take our money!

[bhopal21]

No sense splitting hairs... they're there to take our money!

 

Absolutely, and they do a great job of it.:D

 

But we love it.

 

Mike:)

[sirwired]

Fun facts about slot machines:

Even "mechanical" models are anything but. They are just as computerized as a video-poker table.

 

Whether or not you won is fixed at the time you tell the machine you are up for another round. By the time you push the button or pull the decorative lever, the outcome won't change.

 

As you might expect, the odds can be easily set by the programmer of the machine. The odds of winning have nothing to do whatsoever with the number of winning combinations on the slot wheels.

 

In Vegas, the minimum odds are tightly regulated; on the open seas they can do whatever they want.

 

SirWired

[gooch47]

Sorry, but table games CAN be fixed by changing the payouts to pay less for various combinations of cards than you would get at a land based casino.

[MTJSR]

In California (like most states these days) we have lots of Indian casinos. I personally will not play their slots (anymore) because you can just feel they are not going to pay, in my lifetime. You can stroll the isles and never hear anyone hitting anything. The only exception is the nickel machine where you put in 96 nickels and get a very noisy jackpot of 30 nickels back. With no one regulating the odds, we are trusting they have our interests at heart :eek: Tongue in cheek!

[karmacruiser]

Sorry, but table games CAN be fixed by changing the payouts to pay less for various combinations of cards than you would get at a land based casino.

 

Plus the new continuous shuffle machines for blackjack add to the advantage of the casino. Oh well, less money spent in the casino means more money for me to go shopping.

[ourturn]

Thanks Calmom. Spoke to my sister today & she did the slot tournament & the blackjack. Had a great time doing both. I'll pay $20 for a chance to win $500, what the heck............it's vacation time. You sure have been lucky. Hope you continue to be.