Can you beat a cruise ship casino? The video poker math
October 17, 2026. 5 min read.
Not on average. No machine you are likely to find on board returns more than 100%, and the odds are probably worse than in a Las Vegas casino. A lucky week can end ahead, but the average result is a loss. What you can control is how fast you lose: a 6/5 machine costs about 11 times as much per hour as a 9/6 one, and the pay table tells you which is which.
Here is what is known, what is not, and how to pick the least bad seat.
Who sets the rules at sea
A US law from 1951, the Johnson Act, bans gambling devices on ships. Amendments in 1992 (Pub. L. 102-251, §202) allow them on cruise ships, US- or foreign-flagged, once the ship is outside any state's boundaries. That boundary is the state's offshore line, about three miles out, not the 12-mile limit people often quote. States can still ban gambling on "cruises to nowhere" that start and end in the state, and Alaska restricts it near its ports (15 U.S.C. §1175). Lines also close casinos in port as their own policy. Holland America, for example, says its casino is not open in port and in certain restricted waters (Holland America FAQ).
What is missing is a gaming regulator. In a 2024 briefing to a Virginia legislative panel, the industry said members of the cruise lines' association follow Nevada, New Jersey or England rules of play, check themselves through internal audit, and have their CEOs certify compliance each year (Virginia briefing, June 2024). That is self-regulation, not testing by a state lab. And ships do not publish their payback percentages; Las Vegas Advisor notes they do not have to.
What video poker looks like on board
There is no published survey of cruise ship pay tables. What exists are first-hand reports, and they point one way:
- Wizard of Odds described the video poker on Celebrity Reflection as set "all the way stingy", with 6/5 Jacks or Better as his example (newsletter, October 2023). One ship, one visit.
- Video poker author Bob Dancer found 7/5 Jacks or Better at 25¢ to $2 and 8/5 at $5 on a Norwegian ship in 2011 (Las Vegas Advisor), and replied to a reader in 2023 that cruise ships typically offer "horrendous video poker" (Las Vegas Advisor).
- Passenger reports on cruise forums mostly describe 6/5 and 7/5 at low denominations, with better tables only at high stakes. These are anecdotes, not measurements.
Treat this as a warning, not a rule. A ship may have a better machine. You will only know by reading the pay table.
What those tables cost
With perfect strategy, at 600 hands an hour and $1.25 a hand (five quarters):
| Jacks or Better table | Return | Cost per hour | Cost for 2 hours a day, 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/6 | 99.54% | $3.42 | $47.89 |
| 8/5 | 97.30% | $20.26 | $283.66 |
| 7/5 | 96.15% | $28.90 | $404.54 |
| 6/5 | 95.00% | $37.53 | $525.41 |
Returns are from Wizard of Odds; costs are 600 × $1.25 × (1 − return) per hour. These are averages over a long run. Any single week can end well above or well below them, but the average is the best guide to what the trip will cost you.
How to find the least bad machine on board
- Read the one-coin column. In Jacks or Better, find the full house and flush pays. 9/6 is the best you are likely to see; 6/5 is the worst common table. How to read a pay table in ten seconds.
- Check every denomination. Reports suggest better tables appear at higher denominations. That only helps if the bigger bet fits your budget, and usually it does not.
- Look at other games too. Bonus Poker or Double Double Bonus may have better tables than the Jacks or Better on the same machine, but they need their own strategy.
- Bet five coins if you play. The royal pays 800 per coin at five coins, against 250 at fewer coins.
- Play the right strategy for the table. Mistakes add to the cost. The strategy calculator shows the best hold for any hand on any of the six tables.
How old do you have to be?
On most major lines the minimum age for the casino is 18. On Alaska sailings, Royal Caribbean (policy) and Virgin Voyages (policy) require 21. Princess allows 18, or 20 on cruises within Japan (Princess FAQ). Holland America and Carnival state 18 (Carnival). Disney ships have no casinos. Rules change, so check your line's own page for your itinerary.
Casino rewards: read the rate
Most lines run a players club that can lead to discounted or free cruises, but video poker usually earns points at a lower rate than slots. Carnival gives a point per $2 played on slots and per $5 on video poker (Carnival Players Club); Norwegian, per $5 and per $10 (Casinos At Sea); Holland America, per $2 and per $5 (Holland America). Offers are at the line's discretion. A free cruise earned by losing more than its price is not free.
A budget that survives the week
Decide what the casino is worth to you as entertainment, the way you would price a show, and divide it across the days. Use the table above to see how far it goes on the machine in front of you. And if you want the skill without the cost, practise before you board: Perfect Hold teaches the best hold on every Jacks or Better hand with play credits only.
Questions
Why are cruise ship casinos closed in port?
US federal law allows gambling devices on cruise ships only outside a state's boundaries, which reach about three miles out. Lines also close their casinos in port as their own policy.
How old do you have to be to gamble on a cruise?
On most major lines it is 18, but 21 on Alaska sailings for lines such as Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages. Check your line's own policy for your itinerary.
Are cruise ship slot machines regulated?
Not by a gaming regulator in the way Nevada or New Jersey casinos are. The cruise industry says it follows Nevada or New Jersey standards and checks itself through internal audit. Ships do not publish their payback percentages.
What video poker pay tables do cruise ships have?
There is no published survey. First-hand reports from video poker writers and passengers mostly describe 6/5, 7/5 and 8/5 Jacks or Better, which return 95% to 97.3% with perfect play.
Practise every hand with Perfect Hold
Perfect Hold shows the best hold on every Jacks or Better hand and explains why. Play credits only, no real money.
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