Best places to gamble in the Caribbean – USA Today
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Whether you have a passion for poker, soft spot for the slots or like the rush of the roulette wheel, you’ll find a winning gaming getaway in the Caribbean. Here are some of the islands’ best bets.
St. Maarten
The largest casino on the island (there are thirteen on the Dutch side, none on the French side), Casino Royale is 21,000 square feet of glitzy gambling. Across the street from the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, the lively casino sits below the Tantra nightclub (the largest club on the island). Pros and newbies will find craps, poker and blackjack tables, and 400 slot machines. For those who prefer solo betting, video poker machines come with the “double up” fast-cash feature. Drinks are free, plus there’s nightly entertainment in the 800-seat Showroom Royale Theater and the high-rollers club has the highest table limits on the island. Other big payout casinos include the Westin Dawn Beach with 260 slots and 10 tables, Atlantis World Day in Cupecoy Beach and the Jump Up close to the cruise-ship pier in Philipsburg. vacationstmaarten.com
The Bahamas
Whether you rely on skill or Lady Luck, there’s plenty of opportunity at the largest casino in the Caribbean. Linking the sky-scraping resort towers and spanning a large lagoon, 50,000-square-foot Atlantis Casino at the gargantuan Atlantis Paradise Island Resort ups the ante with a clever player-tracking system that allows guests to insert their room key into a slot machine or present it at a table for a chance to win big prizes. Along with eye-catching sculptures created by glass artist Dale Chihuly, the casino has 85 baccarat, poker, craps, roulette and blackjack tables, 725 slot machines and a racing and sports book. “We recently introduced a new gaming experience called Salon Privé, that caters to the elite casino customer and includes high-limit slot machines and ultra-private gaming rooms,” said Michael Sacco, chief gaming officer. The casino is open 24/7 for slots and from 9 a.m.- 4 a. m., Sunday to Thursday and to 6 a.m. on weekends for card playing. For players looking to up their game, gratis lessons are offered to resort guests and for those who plan ahead, $50K Halloween Slot Tournament is a $500 buy-in for a $10,000 first-place win. A seashell away from downtown Nassau, distractions from a losing streak includes the resort’s sprawling Water Park, 35 restaurants and bars and golf course. Gamblers can also rendezvous with a roulette wheel at the Crystal Palace on Cable Beach.
Curacao
Where servers dress up as though they were a part of a carnival parade, Carnaval Casino keeps the theme in the Renaissance Curaçao with gaming from 10 a.m. – 4 a.m. The largest hotel casino on the island and one of the newest, Carnaval features 375 slots, plus blackjack and three-card poker tables. A short stroll from the pastel-pretty capital city of Willemstad, the fun house is also popular with devotees of bingo who play from 2-4 p.m., on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. For those taking baby steps, touch screen keno and poker take penny bets. At the Trupial Inn in the financial district, Hill Ross Casino sweetens the pot with live bands; Hotel Kura Hulanda has the only seven-card stud poker on the island; Diamond Beach Casino is the go-to for gamblers staying at the Papagayo Beach Resort; Emerald Casino at the Curacao Marriott Beach is striking with overhead glass chandeliers; beach lovers like the tables at the seaside Hilton Curacao; and for fans of sports betting, there are plenty of payoffs in the and blue and green Casino Awasa in the Otrobanda Hotel on the other side of the Queen Emma bridge from Willemstad. curacao.com/en
St. Kitts
In the main floor lobby of the beachfront St. Kitts Marriott Resort, Royal Beach Casino is the biggest casino on the island and the only one with a licensed sports book. Open to guests and non-guests, the casino has 300 slots, 20 table games and 13 plasma screens keeping track of the games back home. Ideal for night owls who like to roll the dice and spin the wheel, the casino stays open to 4 a.m., Friday and Saturday (2 a.m. all other nights).
Aruba
It’s a full house with a dozen casinos island-wide, most of them inside the high-rise resorts that front Palm Beach. On the less-traveled Eagle Beach, there’s Alhambra Casino near the Divi Resort and in Oranjestad, Renaissance Aruba is a two-for-one-deal in the Seaport and Crystal casinos next door to the Louis Vuitton boutique. The largest casino, Stellaris at the Aruba Marriott on Palm Beach, bustles day and night with 30 tables, 500 slots and the only Wheel of Fortune game on the island. To toast a win (or drown your sorrows), potent cocktails at the Lucky Cocktail Lounge come with generous pours. Also wooing the gaming crowd: Hilton Aruba with a starlit theme; Hyatt Regency that stays open until 4 a.m., with 13 tables, 221 slots and Casino Bar where wins are celebrated with a hand-rolled cigar and a shot on the rocks; Holiday Inn Sunspree on Palm Beach; and the Riu Palace Aruba, with a 24-hour sports bar. aruba.com
Puerto Rico
Casino Metro at the Sheraton Puerto Rico is one of 18 casinos on the island and the largest, with 400 slot machines and 18 table games where dealers aim to outwit players at blackjack, poker and baccarat. From a penny bet to a dollar down, the casino rocks 24/7 with complimentary snacks and cocktails. In the stylish San Juan suburb called Condado, Casino del Mar in the lobby of the La Concha Resort is high-energy play at 20 tables, 416 slot machines and a pair of high-limit slot lounges. Other good bets include the casinos at The Ritz-Carlton San Juan, Condado Plaza Hotel and Marriott San Juan Resort. “Each casino is managed and monitored by the government ensuring the best experience,” said Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, executive director, Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “Several are conveniently located at our all-star hotels offering guests the opportunity to try their luck at the casinos and also experience the nearby beaches, adventure, historical and gastronomy attractions.” seepuertorico.com
Dominican Republic
With state-of-the-art slots and high-stakes table games, gambling in the touristy towns and in the capital city of Santo Domingo is as much a part of a Dominican vacay as salsa lessons on the beach and a frosty mug of Presidente beer. Laying claim to more casinos than in any other country in the Caribbean, there are 18 just in Punta Cana, from the kitsch at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe and the Riu Palace Macao to the largest at the Hard Rock Hotel. The Hard Rock offers “over 40 tables for blackjack, craps, baccarat, poker and roulette and more than 400 slot machines with the newest and most popular games played today,” said Alex Pariente, chief gaming officer, Hard Rock Hotel. In Santo Domingo, 12 casinos include the new one at the Jaragua Renaissance on the picturesque Malecón boardwalk and in Puerto Plata on the Atlantic north coast, the Lighthouse Disco at the Bravissimo Casino keeps gamers on their feet until the sun comes up. As a bonus to gamblers, many casinos accept bets in U.S. dollars or Dominican pesos with winnings paid out in the currency of the wager. godominicanrepublic.com
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