Canada may not be the first country you think of when you’re planning a casino trip, and visitors to the Great White North are often surprised by the existence of a thriving casino sector.

Of course, these days, casinos have moved online and as a recent guide published by CasinoTopsOnline shows, there are plenty of options for the keen Canadian casino player, particularly in Ontario, which has the biggest casino market in the country and is at the forefront of the Canadian betting revolution that is changing the face of the nation’s gambling industry.

This widespread availability of top-rated online casinos in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada means that real world casino venues have had to up their game. The result has been a huge expansion in the leisure facilities they offer.

In fact, a visit to a Canadian casino in 2024 need not involve ever setting foot on the casino floor, thanks to the variety of entertainment options laid on for guests. And one of the best places to get the full casino leisure experience is Calgary, the biggest city in Alberta, known for its hosting of the 1988 Winter Olympics and its cowboy culture, including the rodeo extravaganza, the Calgary Stampede.

Calgary the Casino City

In total, the territory of Alberta – in which Calgary is the largest city – has 28 casino sites

Casino gaming in Calgary dates back to 1969. In that year, the annual agricultural fair at the Calgary Stampede Grounds featured a temporary casino. It proved to be extremely popular with visitors, and in 1980, Cash Casino became the first permanent casino on the territory. Fifteen years later, there were three casinos in the city, and by 2024, that has increased to seven, all of which are licensed under the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, operated by five different First Nation tribes and overseen by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis agency. They are:

Ace Casino Blackfoot
Cash Casino Calgary
Century Downs Racetrack & Casino
Cowboys Casino
Deerfoot Inn & Casino
Elbow River Casino
Grey Eagle Casino
Pure Casino Calgary

Naturally, you can find all of the familiar casino activities in the gambling halls and casino floors at these venues, but the modern casino is about so much more, and each of these destinations has become a leisure attraction in its own right.

Promotions

Promotions are common within the gambling world, and Calgary casinos are no exception, but many of these promotions are not related to casino gaming at all.

For instance, Ace Casino Blackfoot has a range of promotions that include tickets to MLB games and free entry to live concerts, while Grey Eagle Casino gives visitors the chance to win a variety of prizes, including a gift card to spend on a shopping spree. Increasingly, casinos are recognizing the importance of aiming promotions at non-casino players and this trend is likely to continue as they battle to earn customers in a competitive industry.

Food and Drink

When you visit a Calgary casino you will usually have the opportunity to enjoy some of the best dining in Canada, thanks to the array of restaurants, cafes, bars and bistros that are now a key part of the casino venue experience.

Every Calgary casino offers places where visitors can unwind and refuel and in most cases, there are multiple dining options. For instance, Cash Casino, which holds the distinction of being the oldest in Alberta, has two restaurants: the Terrace and Embers. At Deerfoot Casino, you can dine South-Western style at the Mohave Grill, grab a quick bite at the Wild Horse Café or visit the Sushi Bar, and visitors to the Grey Eagle Casino Resort can eat in the Blaze Bar and Grill, sample the variety of foods at the Casino Buffet or enjoy a fine dining experience at the Little Chief Restaurant.

Calgary Casinos have also got you covered if you want to have a drink and relax with friends or family. Deerfoot offers no fewer than three bars: the Cactus Lounge, Wild Horse Pub and Island Bar, while for sports fans, there are multiple locations offering live sport on big screens, including Sammy’s Sports Bar at Elbow River Casino, and the huge Hitman’s Bar at Cowboy’s Casino.

Music and Entertainment

The casinos of Las Vegas have long been associated with entertainment, staging everything from live music to boxing, and Calgary’s casinos also provide a variety of after-hours music and dancing.

Elbow River Casino, next to Stampede Park has its Bayou Stage, which regularly features a vibrant array of musical performers, while the Chrome Room at Deerfoot Inn and Casino has attracted several well-known artists in multiple genres from disco to Spanish rock to heavy metal.

Cash Casino often stages dance shows, and at Cowboys Casino (also next to Stampede Park), there are enormously popular themed party nights in the Cowboys Dance Hall, where guests can party in style.

On the northern edge of the city the Century Downs Racetrack & Casino adds another element of betting with the racetrack and there is shopping nearby at the 1.4 million square foot CrossIron Mills shopping, cinema and food hall complex.

Grey Eagle Casino has an separate entertainment event space that features touring musicians, comedians and other entertainment.

Family Amenities

Modern casinos are not simply gambling venues for those who love to spin the reels or take their chances at the blackjack tables. Many casino operators have focused on delivering a resort-level experience to expand their customer base to include families.

Visitors to the Deerfoot Casino, for example, can book into the highly-rated hotel, which is located on site, and which boasts 188 rooms, including 28 luxury suites offering spectacular mountain and city views, while Deerfoot also caters for younger family members with their popular Kid’s Pool Parties, staged at the venue’s Water Park.

Guests at the Grey Eagle Casino can stay in a four-star rated hotel with a wide variety of luxury rooms, and the venue also arranges bus tours for those who want to explore Calgary’s history and its famous sights, including the 91-meter high Calgary Tower, the fascinating Heritage Park and the spectacular Peace Bridge.

In Conclusion

If you think of casinos as places where people simply come to gamble, it’s time to rethink! Modern casino operators are focused on providing all-round entertainment venues, where families and groups of friends can enjoy a range of amenities outside of the casino floor. Calgary’s thriving casino sector is a good example of how casinos are becoming leisure resorts, offering everything from luxury hotels and fine dining to kids’ entertainment and live shows.

Calgary: An Unexpected Casino Destination For Travellers