Aruba – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations

More information about Aruba – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations

Find the Best Papiamento Casino Online

Gamblers that want to test their luck in Aruba have plenty of choices available to them. If you want to visit one of the many land-based casinos, we recommend trying out one of the holiday resorts first. The casinos that are attached to these resorts have by far the biggest selection of slot machines and traditional table games, such as poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and sometimes even craps. You also have the option to play online in one of the locally-licensed online casinos. Many international online casinos do also accept players from Aruba. Online casinos are usually the better choice as they have the latest games on the market, lucrative bonus offers, and higher standards when it comes to responsible gaming and fairness. Nevertheless, it’s always worth bearing in mind the following when making your decision:

• Check the jurisdiction of the online casino in question
• Do you have access to the accepted payment methods?
• Is the casino properly licensed to ensure fair gaming?
• The minimum age for gambling at Aruban casinos is 18
• Aruban citizens are limited to eight visits to local casinos per month 

In order to get a good overview of what online casinos are suited for players from Aruba, we recommend checking out our GoodLuckMate top lists and site reviews.

Gambling Regulation – Departamento di Asuntonan di Casino (DAC)

Before becoming independent in 1986, all gambling activities on the island of Aruba were handled by the Dutch Gambling Authority (DGA). After that, the island state established its own gambling authority called the Departamento di Asuntonan di Casino (DAC). Because of this, gambling is entirely legal across the country. The regulator offers licenses for land-based casinos and online casinos alike. Casinos can be visited by locals and tourists over the age of 18. However, residents of Aruba are limited to eight visits a month to land-based casinos. 

Online casinos that are licensed by the DAC are allowed to offer their games within the country and all around the world with a few exceptions. The Aruba online casino licenses are not valid within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for example. Furthermore, these online casinos are not allowed to target Dutch residents within the Netherlands itself. Licensees are required to open an office on the island, too. Additionally, all servers must be hosted directly on Aruba.  

Unfortunately, the Departamento di Asuntonan di Casino doesn’t apply strict regulations when it comes to player protection and fair gaming – only that random number generators (RNGs) must be evaluated. For this reason, we do not recommend that international players from outside of Aruba play at online casinos under this license as there are better alternatives available.     

Localized Online Casinos

Most online casinos that are licensed under the Departamento di Asuntonan di Casino offer a localized version of their sites. Usually, both official languages are supported, Papiamento, and Dutch. Additionally, as many of them are also operating on the international market, you can commonly find an English version of their websites, too. Customer support is mostly available in Dutch and English but, in some cases, in Papiamento, Spanish and French as well. 

However, bonus offers are mostly tailored to the international gambling market. Only occasionally will you be able to find specific promotions for local players. This is not necessarily a disadvantage, however, as international promotions include great welcome offers with lucrative bonuses and plenty of free spins. At some online casinos, you can even profit from extensive loyalty schemes. The cashier area within Aruban online casinos includes popular deposit options such as credit cards, eWallets, and bank transfers, making them accessible.

Gambling with Aruban florin

All land-based casinos accept Aruban florin. This is also the main currency of most slot machines and table games within such establishments. In some cases, you can also find tables where you can play for US dollars. All casinos are outfitted with ATMs and oftentimes they also offer quick and easy currency conversion services for international tourists who want to gamble. 

The accepted currencies at online casinos licensed by the Departamento di Asuntonan di Casino can vary quite a bit. As almost all Aruban online casinos are operating internationally, so it largely depends on the markets that the site is targeting. Generally, the sites accept both euros and US dollars. Typically they accept Aruban florin as well but this is not always a given. 

Casinos on Aruba 

Considering that Aruba is a relatively small island state with a population of just north of 100,000 people, they can show up with a good selection of land-based casinos. For the most part, the high-end casinos are situated in luxury hotels and resorts so as to attract wealthy tourists to the island. Examples include the La Cabana Beach Resort and Casino, the casino at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the Casino Aruba at Hilton, and the casino at the Hyatt Regency Aruba. Other options are the Stellaris Casino, the Alhambra Casino, the Wind Creek Seaport Casino, the Wind Creek Crystal Casino, the Orchid Casino, and the Trop Club & Casino. If you are looking to play online, you are not limited to online casinos based in Aruba as many international Operators are also accepting players from the island state.