From everything I have found online, the casino can't open until the ship is 12 miles out.
The bill, H.R.529 - Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act, passed the House by a wide margin. Only 6 votes against. No word on when it will be taken up by the US Senate and signed into law by the President. The bill will "extend the customs waters of the United States from 12 nautical miles to 24 nautical miles from the baselines of the United States, consistent with Presidential Proclamation 7219."
I gather this will affect on board casino opening and closing times. Especially closing time on those returning to ports like New York and New Orleans that have long sailing times in US waters before docking.
