Georgia’ s Single Gaming Knowledge Skirts Legislation Off The Brunswick Coast

Internet casinos, sports betting, and nearly all forms of gambling are illegal in Georgia. The state has some of the strictest gaming laws in the country. However, there is one gaming venue in Georgia that operates just off the Brunswick coast.

There are limited options for gambling in Georgia, which is why companies looking to offer casino games must be creative. The Emerald Princess II (EPII), built-in 1998, is a 200-foot cruise ship that offers casino cruises four days a week. For a fee of $25, customers can take a five-hour cruise from Brunswick Harbor into international waters to enjoy various traditional casino games and a few special offerings.

What types of games are available? Who is allowed to participate? And how is this legal? These are some of the questions we will explore as we delve into how Georgia’s sole gaming venue operates within the bounds of the law off the Brunswick coast.

How is this specific even lawful?

Let’s start with the most interesting question first: How is it legal that in a state where betting on almost everything is illegal, an individual can board a casino cruise ship and gamble money on slots and table games?

To understand the system behind the legality of the EPII, it’s helpful to have a brief history of maritime law.

The comarcal and continuous seas

Taking over from the riverboat gambling heyday of the mid-19th century, casino cruises gained popularity in the years following the Great Depression. Cruise ships along the eastern and western seaboards, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, offered patrons short trips along the coast in what was known as territorial waters.

These territorial waters extended three miles from the shore and fell under US legal jurisdiction. The cruise ships typically stayed within this distance, going far enough to avoid running aground when the tide went down. Passengers were free to engage in various casino games, enjoy music, have a drink, and breathe in the ocean air.

In 1948, President Harry S. Truman outlawed these “cruises to nowhere,” as they were called by critics. However, the act did little to stop the practice. Gambling cruise operators simply adjusted their routes to venture a little further beyond the territorial waters into the open sea (3.1 to 24 miles from land) where US law did not apply. The Coast Guard could still intervene if, for example, the ships were involved in drug trafficking or other illegal activities. However, such interventions were rare, and business continued as usual for casino cruises.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan made casino cruises more expensive by extending the range of territorial waters to 13 miles from land. This meant that new gambling cruise operators needed more fuel to reach gambling-safe waters. However, this change did little to deter gambling cruises.

The 12.1-mile marker has now become the established distance for all American casino cruise operators on most coasts.

Georgia possesses seen internet casino cruise ships arrive and disappear

For a period in the mid-to-late 1990s, the EPII faced competition at sea from the Diamond Royale and the Millionaire’s Casino, which were regular casino cruises. However, both of these ships are now defunct.

The Diamond Royale, which operated from the Bull River near Savannah, encountered issues with the Coast Guard. Approximately $7 million in gambling earnings were seized, and the ship faced ongoing legal troubles. It was eventually purchased by a salvage company and towed to Florida.

The Millionaire’s Casino was originally built as a casino ship in 1977 and operated as the Europa Star until 2001. It then underwent name changes, becoming the Stardancer V before adopting the name Millionaire’s Casino when it operated in Georgia. It retained that name from 2003-2004 before being renamed the Texas Star, its final incarnation as a casino cruise ship. The Millionaire’s Casino was recently sunk off the Delaware coast.

Currently, the EPII in Brunswick continues to sail Georgia’s coastal waters in solitude for the foreseeable future.

A full standing of internet casino games in addition to slots being offered on the Emerald green Princess

The Emerald Princess II features over 250 slot machines and approximately 30 tables. The casino currently offers the following table games:

• – Roulette (two wheels)
• – Blackjack (12 tables)
• – Emerald Princess Stud Poker (two tables)
• – Craps (one table)
• – Triple Time, an EP exclusive poker game (one table)
• – Big 30 Bonus, an EP exclusive blackjack game (one table)
• – Bingo
• – Video Poker and Blackjack
• – Texas Hold ’em (occasionally one or two tables)

Hrs, Age Specifications, Schedule

Monday	Thursday	Wednesday	Thursday night	Friday (two cruises)	Weekend (two cruises)	Sunday
Zero Sail	Zero Sail	Zero Sail	8 p. mirielle. -midnight	10 a. mirielle. -4 l. m.; 8 p. mirielle. -midnight	10 a. mirielle. -4 l. m.; 8 p. mirielle. -1 a new. m.	a single p. mirielle. -6 l. m.

 

To board the vessel, all customers must be 21 and present a valid government ID.

Once onboard, the vessel offers dining on the third deck on a first-come, first-served basis. Live music (Friday and Saturday evening cruises only) and a dance floor are also featured on the third floor.

The crew recommends that everyone arrives 20 minutes before their scheduled departure time as the ship sets sail promptly to provide everyone with their full four- to five-hour trip.