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Aruba is an island located in the southern Caribbean Sea, less than 30 km north of mainland Venezuela. It is included in the part of the Caribbean known as the Dutch Caribbean, which consists of islands with a history of Dutch colonization. Just like Sint Maarten and Curaçao, Aruba is still a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
What’s the official currency on Aruba?
Even though Aruba is a part of the Netherlands, the official currency is Aruban Florin (AWG) instead of the Euro. The official exchange rate of the Aruban florin is pegged to the USD at 1.79 AWG to 1 USD.
Many businesses in Aruba accepts payments in both florins and USD, especially within the tourism sector.
Tourism on Aruba
Unlike much of the Caribbean region, Aruba has a dry climate and the landscape is arid. Also, the part of the Caribbean where Aruba is located is less prone to hurricanes than most of the Caribbean region. For many tourists, the lack of rainy days and a low risk of hurricanes is a big plus when they decide which Caribbean island to holiday on.
Nowadays, roughly 75% of Aruba’s gross national product is earned through tourism or tourism-related activities. The two other dominating industries are aloe export and petroleum refining.
A majority of the tourists that visit Aruba in an average year come from the United States (especially from the northeastern U.S.), Canada, or the European Netherlands.
To make it easier for passengers going to the United States from Aruba, the U.S. Authorities operate a full pre-clearance facility at the Queen Beatrix Airport in Aruba (since 2001).
Scuba diving
Aruba is a popular destination for scuba divers since the island is fringed by coral reefs that are easy to access.
Casino gambling in Aruba
Casino gambling is legal in Aruba and there are numerous casinos to visit. Arubas first casino opened back in 1959, and today, pretty much all of the major resorts have their own casino. Aruba host a number of very popular poker tournaments each year.
It is common that online casinos give you the chance to win vacations to Auruba. Vacations that can combine your love for gambling with your love of tropical beaches. Examples of casinos that regularely gives you the chance to win a trip to Auruba includes Speedy Casino and a number of other casinos
It is common for casinos in Aruba to open at noon and stay open until just before sunrise. There are casinos that are open around the clock, but it is quite common for these to only offer slot machine gambling from sunrise to noon. So, if you want to play table games, you need to wait until the dealers arrive at noon.
The slot machines in Aruba are usually adapted for United States currency or for casino tokens denominated in United States currency. Some machines only accept coins or tokens, but machines that can accept bills have become very common in recent years.
The law
The legal age for gambling in Aruba is 18. The casinos are open to both citizens and foreigners, but for citizens, there is a limit for how many times they can visit casinos each month.
In addition to the casino games, many other types of gambling are legal too in Aruba, and many casinos offer bingo and have a section for sports betting.
Examples of casinos in Aruba
- The Stellaris Casino at the Aruba Marriott Resort. This is the largest casino in Aruba and is open around the clock for slot playing (the tables have more limited opening hours). There are 500+ slot machines and over two dozen gambling tables here, including roulette, blackjack, and various types of casino poker. This casino also features race betting and sports betting kiosks.
- The casino at the Ritz-Carlton Aruba (this casino is open around the clock)
- The Alhambra Casino is situated in front of the Divi All Inclusive Resort. Casino games + sport book + bingo. Open from 10 a.m to 4. a.m.
- The Wind Creek Crystal Casino in the Renaissance Aruba Resort (Marina Tower)
- The casino in the Hyatt Regency Resort. Open from noon to 4. a.m.
- The Wind Creek Seaport Casino, which is located between the Renaissance Marina and the Renaissance Marketplace. This casino is especially popular among people who want both casino games and race- and sports betting since you can follow races and sports games on the eight mega screens. Open from 10 a.m to 4. a.m.
- Glitz Casino at La Cabana Resort. Notable for offering Pyramid Stud Jackpot Poker.
- Cool Casino in the Riu Palace Hotel. Open from 10 a.m to 4. a.m. In addition to the standard casino gaming, this casino also hosts weekly blackjack tournaments.
- Excelsior Casino in the Holiday Inn Sunspree. Famous for having Aruba’s largest poker room. Open from 8 a.m to 4. a.m.
- The Palm Beach Casino in the Westin Resort.
- The casino at the Hilton. Famous for offering Wildcard Blackjack. Open from 1 p.m. to 4. a.m.
How big is Aruba?
The island is 32 km from its north-western end to its south-eastern end, and it is 6 km across at its widest point.
The total land area is 179 km2 (69.1 sq mi).
What’re the ABC islands?
The group referred to as the ABC islands consist of Aruba, Bonair and Curaçao.
Good to know about Aruba
Population: Circa 105,000 according to the 2016 estimate
Capital: Oranjestad
Most populous city: Oranjestad
Official languages: Dutch and Papiamento (a creole language largely based on Portuguese and spoken in the Dutch Caribbean)
Currency: Aruban Florin (AWG)
Time zone: UTC -4 (AST)
Driving side: Right
Internet top-level domain: .aw
Calling code: +297