Royal Caribbean Sets Sail on Mobile Lottery Game Aboard Select Cruises

Royal Caribbean has joined the growing mobile gaming trend at sea, introducing its first onboard digital lottery game.

As gaming is more prevalent than ever, with approximately 61% of adults in North America gambling within the past 12 months, the industry’s surge has made its way to sea. Most major cruise lines have focused on their onboard casino offerings and new games and products.

Royal Caribbean is the latest to announce a digital lottery game. The Royal Caribbean Blog reports that the onboard app now allows cruisers to purchase digital versions of scratch-off lottery tickets, which for years have been sold inside the cruise line’s casinos.

The Royal Caribbean app is essential for cruisers to check in, obtain their mobile boarding pass, and complete the safety briefing. Once onboard, the app helps guests make upgrades, book dining and entertainment reservations, and view the day’s activities.

Royal Caribbean follows Carnival, which, in February, debuted Carnival Millions. The interactive lottery game pools ships together for a daily $1 million drawing.

Royal Caribbean’s mobile lottery product offers various scratch-off digital tickets, ranging in price from $2 to $20. The top prize comes with a $100,000 jackpot.

Winners of less than $2,000 see their winnings instantly credited to their Royal Caribbean account. For wins above $2,000, the player must visit the Casino Royale to collect their windfall and complete a tax form.

Why Not Full iGaming?

Once a cruise ship enters international waters, it’s free to open its casino. Gambling aboard cruises is regulated by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The CLIA requires casinos on cruise ships to adhere to the regulatory standards of the Nevada Gaming Control Board or those established for casinos in New Jersey or England. Since iGaming is permitted in New Jersey and England, a member cruise line of the CLIA could theoretically offer onboard iGaming once at sea.

While Starlink has improved the onboard Wi-Fi experience on certain cruise lines, concerns about internet connections and speeds have kept iGaming on the mainland.

BetMGM tested the iGaming waters in 2022 with Carnival. The partnership brought mobile sports betting and online casinos to Carnival’s more than 50 ships.

The iGaming operation was terminated after offshore satellite internet lag caused continuous friction with sports betting, a gambling format that relies heavily on real-time data and live odds.

As for online casinos, BetMGM fielded little interest from Carnival cruisers. Those who did want to gamble preferred the onboard physical casino over playing on their phone.

Royal Caribbean Online Lottery Debut

Royal Caribbean is only in a test phase of the online lottery product. App users aboard Utopia of the Seas can play the mobile lottery scratchers now, with more ships expected to join in the coming months.