This week has seen further reports of flying casinos becoming reality. In 2005 Ryanair Holdings Chief Executive Michael O’Leary was even suggesting that in-flight gambling could do away with the need to charge for flights. At the end of 2006 Ryanair was talking of introducing online bingo and casino games on its budget airline, and announced a partnership with jackpotjoy.com. With the advent of the world’s biggest passenger plane, the superjumbo A380, onboard casinos are once again in the news.

Although the idea still seems novel, flying casinos have already taken to the air previously but other attempts at onboard gambling have remained mere flights of fancy. Back in the 1980s Singapore Airlines was the first to install special lightweight slot machines. By the ‘90s Swissair had onboard video gambling, as did Lauda Air.

In 2002 Israel’s then Transportation Minister approved a plan for an airborne casino, saying there was no difference in the project from the casino boats that sailed out of Israel’s ports for gambling in international waters. Needless to say, the plan never got off the ground. It is now rumoured that VIP charter flights between Hong Kong and Las Vegas may feature baccarat tables for their passengers.

The first A380 with a fully-fitted casino could be delivered by 2012, according to an Airbus marketing executive. There has apparently been some interest from customers – Richard Branson mentioned the possibility of incorporating casinos on Virgin planes when the Airbus project was first launched. To date such plans remain up in the air, particularly as the US has already said that gambling devices on planes that enter US airspace are banned. (E-02.14.08)

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