The Cayman Islands is an important financial center of the world for global businesses and affluent individuals. The official language heard in diverse dialects is English, with Spanish being the second frequently spoken language here.
In keeping with the law that does not allow gambling, there are no new casinos in the Cayman Islands. Any gambling is restricted to online websites, which do not seem to be covered under the law.
Old as well as new casinos online do enable players from the Cayman Islands to join their sites and claim that it is not illegal for them to do so. The reason is that they are shown as being registered in other countries in the Caribbean and not from the Cayman Islands. Hence, it could be said that it is a kind of loophole due to which there are players from the country who play at new casinos online.
After Christopher Columbus set foot on the islands in 1503, some of the early settlers were sailors, pirates, and soldiers from Jamaica. Although there is no recorded history of gambling, it can be presumed that the people who inhabited the islands may have had some interest in traditional forms of betting.
Gambling was declared illegal after a new law was introduced in 1963. However, it is believed there was always some gambling activity, as claimed by supporters who advocate legalization. Legalizing gambling is expected to increase the government's tax earnings and also increase tourism in the country.
Gambling in Cayman Islands Nowadays
Although the island country is known to be a tax haven favored by the rich, it is not favorable towards gambling activities. Citizens of the country are liable to face action if they are found engaging in gambling. There are no old or new casinos in the entire territory, and neither are there any plans for that in the future.
The origin of the laws related to gambling lies in an act that came into force in 1963 that clearly states that betting is not legal. Two months of imprisonment was suggested for those in violation, or fines ranging from $10 to $2500 depending upon the severity of the crime.
The law extends to online gaming as well, although it is difficult to enforce. The reason is that online access is not restricted, and people in the area are able to sign up for old and new casinos online. Although the risk of prosecution is high, people manage to avoid any fines or get prosecuted.
Since the law is old and outdated, it creates legal hurdles for players who may be interested in gambling. Another primary reason is that tourists who flock to the island come to see the beauty and enjoy nature rather than for reasons of gambling.
A minor change was made to the law in 2015, which allowed gambling on cruise ships registered in the Cayman Islands, but only if they are in operation outside the territorial waters of the islands.
In 2018, the Gambling Amendment Bill was considered and debated but was not introduced due to opposition to it. According to the bill, fines would have increased to $10,000, a massive increase from the earlier $400. Moreover, the prosecution would be for three years instead of one year earlier.