Dominican Republic: Licenses for casino cruise ships
The Government of the Dominican Republic has taken a firm step in regulating its gambling industry by extending state supervision to casinos operating on board tourist vessels. After concluding an exhaustive public consultation period, the Ministry of Finance and Economy formalized Resolution N°164-2026, which establishes the obligation to obtain specific licenses for all cruise ships wishing to keep their gaming rooms operational while sailing in national waters or docked in Dominican ports.
This measure seeks to integrate the activity of maritime casinos into the legal framework governing land-based establishments. Authorities argue that, without rigorous supervision, these spaces could become focal points for money laundering or the financing of illicit activities. Therefore, the new regulation imposes on operators the implementation of strict compliance controls and procedures, aligned with international standards for preventing financial crimes.
Economic requirements and categories based on vessel capacity
The Dominican regulation establishes clear criteria for obtaining these permits, differentiating costs according to the size of the vessel and its passenger transport capacity. Cruise ships considered first-category that seek to operate their gambling rooms must, first, present a performance bond amounting to 20 million Dominican pesos, approximately 315,398 US dollars.
Regarding the fees for issuing the license, the Ministry of Finance has defined two main scales. Vessels with a capacity to accommodate between 2,000 and 3,499 passengers must pay one million Dominican pesos, while larger cruise ships will have a fee of 1.5 million pesos. These permits will be valid for five years and can be renewed for the same period by paying 50 percent of the original value of the fee.
Frequency control and supervision by gaming tables
In addition to the initial licensing costs, Resolution N°164-2026 introduces an annual fee structure that will directly depend on the volume of the gaming offering, specifically the number of tables operated in the cruise ship's casino. This model ensures that the tax burden is proportional to the operational capacity of each room within the country's jurisdictional waters.
Another innovative point of the regulation is the control over visit frequency. The document contemplates additional charges for operators who exceed the limit of 15 annual entries into Dominican waters. With this, the State seeks not only to collect funds for the use of sovereign space but also to maintain a detailed record of tourist and gambling activity that takes place on its coasts, ensuring that the growth of the cruise sector in the Caribbean occurs under an umbrella of transparency and legal security.
Tags: Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic casinos, Dominican Republic cruise ship casinos, Dominican Republic cruises