There are a few things in leisure and recreation that are often seen as being the height of luxury. International travel and the jetsetter lifestyle are some of them, but even that pales in comparison to the cruise industry, which is largely seen as being one of the pinnacles of decadence due to the scale of the vessels and the sheer quality of lifestyle offered. What if that was combined with another luxury European pastime? The casino.
Boats and casinos are no strangers either; in the United States, casino riverboats were once all the rage in the South, for example. However, the decadent thrill of scaling the Mediterranean while playing the traditional table and card games of the casino, including at Malta online casinos, is one of the 21st century's big developments. So, what does this modern-day luxury look like?
Malta legislation allows casino cruise operation
For the last three decades, the Malta online casino industry has been at the forefront of iGaming in Europe. Because of that, it has become one of the leading names on the continent for casino gaming and one that many jurisdictions and online operators look to when it comes to legislation and the licensing of the country's gaming authority. It's no different when it comes to casino cruises.
While international waters do make it somewhat difficult for cruise operators to legally provide on-board casinos, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) allows them to provide casino gaming while in Maltese waters. That has made the islands’ waters popular on the Mediterranean cruise circuit as operators look to provide the most decadent of experiences to customers.
Licensed online casinos in Malta provide alternative
However, it's not only Maltese waters where players are playing games that are licensed by the nation's authorities. Far from it. In its position as one of the forerunners in the European iGaming industry, the MGA licences many of its neighbours’ online gambling outlets. This means that there are many sites and apps that can be accessed online from a number of different Mediterranean jurisdictions.
With a long list of Malta-licensed operators, there are a lot to choose from for prospective players. For example, looking at bestonlinecasinosmalta.com, Mr Green, LeoVegas, and Betway are all among the listed best online casinos in Malta. All three of these names are well-known across the continent, meaning that they can be used in a number of jurisdictions that Med cruises operate in.
Options for Malta online casino and physical players
With the best online casinos Malta authorises all popular with players dotted around Europe, it means that it's likely that mobile casino gaming is already hugely popular on cruises and yachts. According to euronews.com, 2023 saw the online gambling vertical make up more than 50 per cent of the market’s entire gambling revenues, making the continent one of the biggest players in the game.
Couple that with the fact that 2025 marks exactly a decade since the first specialist casino cruise ship was licensed by the MGA, and you can't help but think that Malta is the centre of the world as far as gambling on the high seas is concerned.
As Valetta is largely the European capital of iGaming with the best online casino Malta operators proving popular internationally, it's no surprise that the country is still seen as a hub for casino cruises. It's likely that the industry will only grow as travellers continue to look for luxury recreation.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.rgf.org.mt/