DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Dominican government, acting through the Ministry of Hacienda and Economy, has issued Resolution 164-2026. requiring all cruise ships operating casinos or gambling halls within Dominican territorial waters to obtain an official license. Under the new regulatory framework, licensing fees for these maritime gaming operations are tiered based on vessel capacity, reaching up to RD$1.5 million.

The government seeks new revenues from the floating casinos that dock at the Amber Cove, Taino Bay ports in Puerto Plata, the Casa de Campo Port in La Romana and off Catalina Island, and the Cabo Rojo Port in Pedernales, the Sans Souci Port in Santo Domingo and the Samana Port that will open in Samana in November 2026.

The resolution establishes the legal framework for “first-class cruise ships” to operate gambling halls while in Dominican waters. As noted in your draft, the...