Legislation

Dominican Republic Requires Cruise Ships with Casinos to Obtain Licenses

Wednesday 08 de April 2026 / 12:00

⏱ 1 min read

(Santo Domingo).- The Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economy, has ruled that cruise ships operating casinos or gaming rooms in Dominican waters must obtain an official license. The cost of this authorization can reach up to RD$1.5 million (USD 24,750), as part of the regulation of this activity in the country.

Dominican Republic Requires Cruise Ships with Casinos to Obtain Licenses

The official provision states that the measure seeks to regulate this activity within the Dominican legal framework. In this regard, it aims to “establish the requirements that first-class cruise ships must meet when docking at Dominican ports, anchoring, or sailing in national waters of the Dominican Republic, if they wish to operate a gaming room (casino).”

The regulation also sets license fees based on passenger capacity. It specifies: “Between 2,000 and 3,499 passengers RD$1,000,000.00” and “equal to or greater than 3,500 passengers RD$1,500,000.00” as license issuance fees for operating cruise ship casinos.

Additionally, the resolution makes clear that these operations will be subject to strict conditions, including regulatory and financial controls. Among them, operators must comply with rules related to crime prevention, establishing “the necessary controls and procedures to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism.”

The document also defines the scope of these operations, clarifying that gaming rooms refer to spaces within cruise ships that “offer gambling services to tourists on board first-class cruise ships docking at ports in the Dominican Republic.”

This measure is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the tourism sector and expand entertainment offerings linked to maritime tourism, under a framework regulated by the State.

Categoría:Legislation

Tags: Sin tags

País: Dominican Republic

Región: Central America and Caribbean