Late in the evening along Palm Beach, the lobbies of the big resorts hum with the chime of slot machines, the clatter of chips and the low cheer around a craps table. A few steps away the trade wind is still moving the palms, and the night feels unhurried. Aruba has a casino scene built into its resort life, with rooms at the large hotels and in downtown Oranjestad.
Are there casinos in Aruba?
Yes, Aruba has twelve casinos, and the island is often called the “Las Vegas of the Caribbean.” The nickname is generous, since you will not find a sprawling strip of towers. What you find instead are casinos folded into resort hotels and a few in the center of Oranjestad, so an evening of gambling can be a short stroll from your room or dinner table.
Aruba also claims a piece of gambling history. It is the originator and home of Caribbean stud poker, a game you can still find on the casino floors. Professional poker tournaments are held on the island too, which gives the card rooms a more serious side for players who come for more than a few spins of a slot machine.
The poker room and the craps tables
The Excelsior Casino has Aruba’s largest poker room, which makes it the natural stop for anyone who prefers cards to machines. The room suits players who like to sit for a long session and settle into a table, and it is a good place to watch how a tournament crowd behaves.
Craps players have their own reason to visit. Excelsior is the only casino in Aruba to offer 3-4-5 times odds on craps, and it also has double deck blackjack on the same terms. If you know the games, these are the details that make one room different from another. If you are new, the dealers and the pace of the tables are worth watching before you buy in.
The Ritz-Carlton room
The Casino at The Ritz-Carlton is open around the clock and has seventeen traditional table games, along with slot machines and live entertainment. It is also home to the only baccarat table in Aruba, so anyone who wants that game knows where to go.
The setting is a resort rather than a stand-alone gaming hall, so the evening can start with a drink and music and drift toward the tables at your own speed. It suits couples and small groups who want a night out without leaving the hotel grounds.
Before or after the tables
Palm Beach is minutes away from some of the best bars and sports bars on the island, so a casino night can easily be paired with a drink. The Blue Bar at the Renaissance Marina Hotel serves a signature Blue Martini, and Craft, an upscale sports bar near Eagle Beach, pours artisanal cocktails and craft beers in front of screens showing international sports.
Ricardo’s Restaurant & Bar has generous happy hours and sports broadcasts by the beach, a relaxed way to start the evening. In Oranjestad, Mojito Bar at the Royal Plaza Mall plays salsa, merengue and other Latin American rhythms, while CILO city lounge at the Renaissance Marketplace and Café The Plaza both offer live music.
How old do you have to be to gamble in Aruba?
You must be at least 18 to gamble in Aruba, and no one under that age is allowed inside a casino at all. That is lower than the age many American visitors are used to at home, and it applies to the whole room, not only to the tables, so teenagers traveling with the family cannot wander in to look around.
Casinos in Aruba have the right to request an ID, and showing one is often required when entering. Carry it with you when you head out for the evening, even if you look well past the minimum age. A door host who asks is simply doing the job, and having your document ready keeps the line moving.
Drinks and the same age line
The legal drinking age in Aruba is also 18, and a valid ID might be required when you buy alcoholic drinks. This matters in a casino setting because the bars and the gaming floors sit close together, and in many resorts you cross from one to the other without noticing.
If you are traveling with young adults, it helps to agree on the plan before the evening begins. Eighteen opens the doors to the casino floor and the bar, while anyone younger stays out, so families often split the night between the casino and somewhere everyone can go together, like a beachfront restaurant or a lounge with live music.
A word on playing well
Games of chance are meant as an evening’s entertainment, and the pleasant way to approach a casino is to decide beforehand what you are happy to spend, then enjoy the music, the people and the show. The Ritz-Carlton’s live entertainment, for example, makes the room worth a visit even when you only play a little.
Beginners can start with a game they already know, such as blackjack, and take their time watching a table before sitting down. Seasoned players may head straight for the poker room or the craps tables at Excelsior. Either way, the evening is yours to pace.
Where are the casinos?
Most of Aruba’s casinos are inside large resorts along Palm Beach, the strip of resorts in the Noord district, and in downtown Oranjestad. That gives the island two quite different atmospheres: the hotel casino, where the night flows from dinner to the tables, and the city casino, set among the harbor, shops and restaurants of the capital.
Palm Beach resort casinos
Along Palm Beach, the casinos belong to the big hotels, so you can walk from the beach to the tables without a stop in between. This is the easiest option for guests staying in the area, and the bars and sports bars nearby make it simple to spread an evening across several places.
The setting is polished and resort-like, with live entertainment in some rooms. It suits visitors who like to dress up a little, have dinner at the hotel and finish with a few hands of cards or a turn at the slots.
Downtown Oranjestad
Oranjestad has its own casinos, and the capital pairs them with a livelier choice of nightlife. Mojito Bar at the Royal Plaza Mall offers Latin rhythms, CILO city lounge at the Renaissance Marketplace has live music, Café The Plaza does as well, and Club Hipsz sits near the Eagle Bowling Palace.
The Crystal Casino at the Renaissance Marina Hotel is one of the rooms here, and it never closes. Gusto Night Club Aruba is considered one of the best bars on the island, which makes the city a good choice for a longer night out that mixes gaming and dancing.
Hours and the 24-hour rooms
Slot machines generally open at 11 a.m., and table games generally open from 1 p.m. through the early morning. That means a casino is more of an evening activity than a daytime one, though the slots can fill an afternoon after the beach.
Three rooms stay open around the clock: Stellaris Casino at the Aruba Marriott Resort, The Casino at The Ritz-Carlton, and Crystal Casino at the Renaissance Marina Hotel. They are the answer for night owls and for anyone arriving late on a flight who still wants a game. Casino hours vary seasonally, so check before making plans, especially if you have one particular room in mind.
| Casino | Hours |
|---|---|
| Stellaris Casino, Aruba Marriott Resort | Open 24 hours a day |
| The Casino at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba | Open 24 hours a day |
| Crystal Casino, Renaissance Marina Hotel | Open 24 hours a day |
| Other casinos: slot machines | Generally from 11 a.m. |
| Other casinos: table games | Generally from 1 p.m. through the early morning |
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Aruba Level 1, ‘Exercise normal precautions,’ and says Aruba is generally a safe destination for travelers, with petty crime the main concern in popular tourist areas.
Bring a photo ID for the door and for the bar, since both the casino and the drinks follow the same age line of 18. Hours shift with the season, so confirm the room you have in mind before you head out. The island is also known for its relaxed evenings, and a casino night fits neatly between a seaside dinner and a last drink on the Palm Beach strip.
Sources
- Aruba Tourism Authority, Casinos (https://www.aruba.com/us/things-to-do/nightlife/casinos), checked October 9, 2026
- Aruba Tourism Authority, Gambling information (https://www.aruba.com/us/plan-your-visit/tips-for-visitors/gambling-information-aruba), checked October 9, 2026
- Aruba Tourism Authority, Bars and lounges (https://www.aruba.com/us/things-to-do/nightlife/bar-lounge), checked October 9, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Aruba Travel Advisory, Level 1, issued August 19, 2026 (https://travel.state.gov/content/tsg_aem/us/en/home/international-travel/travel-advisories/destination.abw.html), checked October 9, 2026
To plan your stay
- Best Time to Visit Aruba: Weather by Month, Peak Season and Festivals
- Where to Stay in Aruba: Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, Oranjestad and All-Inclusives
- Aruba Airport (AUA): Arrival, Getting to Your Hotel, U.S. Preclearance and Departure
- Know Before You Go to Aruba: Entry Forms, Money, Water and Local Customs