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Land-Based Casinos in Canada
Written by:Lisa ChebanContent writer
Biography
Lisa is an esteemed expert in the field of iGaming. With her extensive experience in writing iGaming content, she possesses the knowledge and skills to provide you with the most informative and engaging insights into the world of gambling.
Reviewed by:Simon YoungEditor
Biography
Simon Young, a former national news editor and journalist, once held the prestigious position of Lead Editor at PokerStars before focusing his editorial talents on Betsquare. His illustrious career journey seamlessly bridges the realms of journalism and online gambling, crafting a unique narrative of expertise and innovation.
Updated on:
Jun 04, 2024, 12:02 pm
Introduction:
While many are familiar with online casino gaming, the art of wagering has existed for as long as the use of currency has. The world’s first-ever casino was called II Ridotta, “Private Room” in Italian, and it was founded in 1668. Since its historical origins, the concept of a legal, authorised gambling room has been exported all over the world.
At casinos in Canada, players can participate in games of chance and skill. Some of the more popular casino offerings include games that feature a skill element, such as baccarat, blackjack, roulette, video poker, and craps. In recent times, slot machines have become one of the most sought-after types of gaming at casinos. At a land-based Casino in Canada, you can experience various games, such as the ones listed above and many more.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything that you need to know about land-based casinos in Canada. At Betsquare, we take pride in making gaming more accessible and transparent to the ever-growing community of gaming enthusiasts in Canada.
Best Regions for Land-Based Casinos in Canada
Canada is home to around 90 land-based casinos. As per law, any building with the legal right to offer games of choice to the public is called a casino. Besides the ninety large casinos, 32 gaming lounges offer video lottery machines exclusively.
While online sports betting and gaming have taken off in Canada, many of the country’s residents prefer the more involved experience of gaming in person at a land-based casino. Almost all of the country’s large urban centres host casinos, with the number set to increase over the next few years. Where are the best casinos in Canada? Read on to find out.
Victoria
The capital city of British Columbia sits on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, off the Pacific coast. As one of the oldest settlements in the Pacific Northwest, gambling has been a popular urban pastime since the arrival of the first settlers. The lotteries are a prevalent form of gaming in British Columbia. Victoria’s most popular land-based casinos include the Elements Casino, Chances, River Rock Casino Resort, Billy Barker Casino Hotels, and Caesars Windsor Casino.
Toronto
Toronto is the most populous Canadian city and is the capital of the province of Ontario. It is the fourth-most populated city in North America and is located at the western end of Lake Ontario.
Toronto is one of Canada’s oldest cities; indigenous groups have travelled through the Toronto plateau for over 10,000 years. Accordingly, gaming has a deep-rooted significance to the region. Toronto’s most famous land-based casino is Casino Rama, a Penn National resort located north of Toronto on the other side of Lake Simcoe.
Making the trip to Casino Rama is a favourite pastime of many Toronto residents. Some other major land-based casinos in Canada include the Great Blue Heron Charity Casino, the Fallsview Casino Resort near Niagra Falls, and Casino Niagara.
Vancouver
Home to the Canucks hockey team, Vancouver is another ancient settlement that has ballooned into an urban metropolis. As of 2021, 662,248 people reside in this western Canadian city. As one of the most diverse cities in Canada, 49.3% of its residents are not native English speakers, with 54% of its residents belonging to minority groups.
A bustling and vibrant amateur-hosted poker scene brings together the city’s diverse residents. If you’re in Vancouver and wish to check out a land-based casino, visit PARQ Vancouver, an established posh location that’s up there with the best casinos in Canada.
Montreal
Montreal, the second most populated city in Canada, was founded in 1642 as Ville-Marie, or “City of Mary.” It is named after Mount Royal, the original hill around which the city was built. The French-speaking city received its first gambling legislation in 1892, before which gaming used to be the population’s favourite pastime.
The largest casino in the region is the Montreal Casino, a stunning behemoth that was opened in 1992. The casino is the largest in Canada and is owned and operated by the government-run Société des Casinos du Québec.
Calgary
Calgary is the capital of the province of Alberta and its largest city. The city is an industrial powerhouse, hosting booming financial services, film and television, transportation, manufacturing, and aerospace industries.
Named after Calgary Castle on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, city residents flock to its many casinos that are known to offer exciting promos to motivate players to visit. Some of the best land-based casinos in Calgary include Cowboys Casino, Elbow River Casino, and the Deerfoot Inn and Casino.
Edmonton
The last major Canadian gambling destination in this guide is Edmonton, the capital of Alberta. Located on the North Saskatchewan River and the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, the city forms the northern part of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor.
Edmonton has many popular land-based casino destinations, such as the Pure Casino, River Cree Resort, Century Casino, and the Grand Villa Casino. Like other Canadian cities, Edmonton has several lotteries that you can participate in.
Top Five Casinos in Canada
If you like travelling to casinos and prefer not to be limited to the best land-based casinos in your city, here are the best casinos that you can check out in Canada:
Casino de Montréal (Montreal, Quebec)
Perhaps Canada’s top gambling destination is the Casino de Montreal in Quebec. The massive establishment was established in 1993 and underwent comprehensive renovations in 2013. This large casino offers four gaming floors in addition to a plethora of dining and entertainment options. Based on its current standing, the Casino De Montreal is likely to remain Canada’s best land-based casino for the foreseeable future.
Regardless of your preferences of what you enjoy the most at a casino, the Casino de Montreal has something for you. The large building contains 3,000 slot machines and 120 tables, in addition to the province’s best poker setup. Dealers at the casino speak both English and French, and you can enjoy games of all wager sizes. All you need to do is hit the casino floor and start playing.
One of the highlights of the Casino de Montreal is The Zone, an area exclusively dedicated to 80 affordable games set in a party atmosphere, replete with low-limit bets, upbeat music and bright lighting.
Fallsview Casino Resort (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
As the name suggests, the Fallsview Casino resort overlooks majestic Niagara Falls. Depending on the room you choose, you can marvel at either the Canadian or American sides of the massive waterfall.
The casino’s Salon Prive offers blackjack, baccarat, and single zero roulette, while the main gaming floor features table games such as Roulette, Spanish 21, Casino War, 6 to 5 Blackjack, Mississippi Stud Poker, Three card Poker, Mini Baccarat, Ultimate Texas Poker, and Pai Gow.
Despite being located in a smaller building than Casino de Montreal, the Fallsview Casino has over 3,500 slots and video poker machines. Players can enter wagers for as low as 1 cent and up to $100 on the machines. Some of the most popular games at this land-based casino include Power Bucks, Winline, Cashman Bingo, Big Fu Cash Bats, Jumanji 4D, Cash Express Luxury Line, and All-Star Poker.
River Rock Casino Resort (Richmond, British Columbia)
The River Rock Casino Resort is located on the banks of the Fraser River near downtown Vancouver. At the time of writing, the casino has paid out more than $206,960,470, with December jackpots amounting to more than $18,647,274. The casino also offers wagers on horse racing through its racebook.
Regarding casino offerings, the River Rock Casino is on par with Canada’s other large gaming houses. It features 1,100 slot machines, 75 live games, and 104 table games. The Prive Slots section features the most extensive collection of $1 slots in the British Columbia district.
The River Rock poker room hosts games of Texas Hold ’em, Find Four Card, and Fortune Pai Gow, with a separate collection of table games on the main gaming floor. The casino also offers a rotating series of promotions for new players.
Caesars Windsor Hotel and Casino (Windsor, Ontario)
The legendary Caesars brand has carved out a niche for itself north of the border in Windsor, Ontario. The Caesars Windsor Hotel and Casino brings the legendary Las Vegas brand’s credentialed gaming product to Canadian soil.
The casino features 85 table games and 1,738 slot games in a large building with restaurants and nightclubs, creating a comprehensive entertainment package. The establishment also has a sports bar lounge. Caesars Windsor Hotel and Casino holds weekly poker tournaments every Friday night and Sunday afternoon with varying buy-in amounts.
Similarly, patrons can enjoy monthly casino promotions at Ceasars. Some repeating promotions at the Ceasars Windsor Hotel Casino include Jackpot Frenzy and a 5x tier credit multiplier. Remember to visit the casino’s numerous promotion kiosks to learn how to capitalise on its offers. As of February 2024, the casino offers a $25,000 lucky draw monthly promotion.
Casino Niagara (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
The last casino to make our list of the best land-based casinos in Canada is the Casino Niagara, located in Ontario along the banks of the Niagara River. In addition to the typical games you’d find at a casino, the Casino Niagara offers a dedicated sportsbook for betting fans.
The casino offers table games from 12 pm – 4 am daily, with games like Blackjack, Roulette, Bahama Bonus Black, Casino War, Mississippi Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Poker available to visitors. The gaming floor is spread over a spacious 95,000 square feet spread over two floors.
The 1,300 slot machines at Casino Niagara accept bets as low as pennies and as high as $5 per spin. The casino offers 30 live table games with Canadian favorites like Blackjack, Mississippi Stud, Roulette, and Poker. Its video poker options include Automated BIG 6, Roulette & Sic Bo Twin Combo, and Roulette Mini Star.
Final Thoughts
With a long and storied gaming history, Canada’s land-based casinos offer players a secure and licensed avenue to participate in games of chance. Not only are there casinos scattered all over the country, but small-scale forms of gaming like lottery tickets and video poker can be found in convenience stores in nearly every location.
Truth be told, Canada’s casinos offer an experience on par with the best locations in the world. They have a robust licensing mechanism, plenty of public awareness and support, and feature some of the best game providers in the world.
In 2023, at least six out of ten Canadians spent money on gambling, according to a report. The city of Ontario generated a reported gambling revenue of $1.4 billion between April 2022 and March 2023, with more than 19.3 million active online gamers in Canada. The numbers don’t lie: gaming in Canada has a bright future, with each of its large casinos paving the way for the nation’s next big gaming revolution.
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Current Version
Dec 7, 2022
Written By
Lisa Cheban
Edited By
Simon Young
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