A Royal Caribbean passenger barred from sailing after being accused of breaking casino rules, including through card counting, has won the right to pursue a consumer claim seeking A$22,000 over five cruises he says he had earned through casino play.
Mark Timothy Grant took the dispute to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal after arriving at the Brisbane cruise terminal with his partner and son and being refused boarding.
Grant had expected to embark on the first of five Royal Caribbean cruises which he says were awarded through his casino activity. However, the cruise line had placed him on a “no sail” list.
He is seeking A$22,000, representing the value he places on the five cruises.
The case does not establish that Grant engaged in card counting or other prohibited casino activity, nor has the tribunal determined that Royal Caribbean is liable to compensate him.
Tribunal Allows Consumer Claim To Continue
Grant’s claim was initially dismissed by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, but he appealed that decision.
On 14th September 2026, Senior Member Samantha Traves allowed the consumer dispute to proceed, clearing the way for Grant to continue pursuing his claim against the cruise line.
The appeal decision concerns whether the dispute can proceed rather than determining the underlying allegations or whether Grant is entitled to the A$22,000 he is seeking.
Royal Caribbean operates its Club Royale casino loyalty programme aboard its ships, allowing guests to accumulate points through casino play and potentially receive benefits and offers, including complimentary cruises.
The programme’s terms provide for benefits and offers to be withdrawn in certain circumstances, including when members breach applicable rules or are prohibited from sailing or gambling.
Whether those provisions entitled Royal Caribbean to take the action it did against Grant will form part of the underlying dispute rather than having been settled by the appeal decision.
Previous Casino Exclusion Dispute
Grant has previously been involved in legal proceedings concerning so-called advantage play at casinos, although that case involved a different operator and circumstances.
In a separate dispute involving The Star casinos in Queensland, Grant and another player challenged decisions to exclude them following allegations involving edge sorting.
Edge sorting is a technique in which a player attempts to identify cards by recognising differences or irregularities in their backs.
In a 2022 decision, the tribunal found there were no reasonable grounds for the exclusions under the legislation being considered in that case and set them aside.
That ruling related to The Star, different events and a separate legal question. It therefore does not determine the outcome of Grant’s current consumer claim involving Royal Caribbean.
The latest tribunal decision leaves the substantive dispute unresolved, with Grant now able to pursue his claim over the five cruises he says he was prevented from taking.
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