The casino cruise ship Jacks or Better, which is based in Galveston, Texas, is continuing to operate despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Galveston is less than an hour away from the city that the hurricane has wreaked havoc on.
Jacks or Better Sails Away from Texas Gambling Laws
Unfortunately for gamblers living in Texas, commercial gambling at land-based casinos is prohibited. This is actually quite ironic as one of the most popular forms of poker in the world is Texas Hold’em. Because of the laws surrounding gambling, Jacks or Better will set sail from Galveston and head away from Texas. Once 9.1 miles away from land and in the Gulf of Mexico, Texas laws no longer apply. Once this happens, the casino cruise is free to let the slot machines spin and allow cards to be dealt.
The company that runs Jacks or Better has said that it has received countless inquiries from people as to whether the casino cruise is still operating. According to the company, this is due to some people just wanting to get away for a while and Jacks or Better is ready to provide some level of normalcy.
Jacks or Better Controversy
Jacks or Better started offering the casino cruises in April 2017. It didn’t take long for a controversy to develop around the ship. Just over a week after it started operating, the casino ship ran into a jetty when returning from its evening cruise. The operating company then proceeded to ask its Facebook followers if the captain should be fired.
There was a fair amount of backlash, with customers unhappy that the captain’s fate was being left to social media. The company responded and said that was not its intention. It was simply trying to find out if its customers would still feel comfortable with the captain in control of the vessel.
