Ready To Reopen

For the first time since they were shut down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario casinos are preparing to reopen their doors.These casinos will be required to adhere to government occupancy rules. That will mean no more than 50 patrons will be permitted inside the facility at one time. People planning to attend a casino in the province will need to treat the adventure the same way they would booking a hotel stay or a dinner spot at a trendy restaurant.

They’ll be required to make reservations in advance of their planned visit to the gaming floor. Table games are also expected to remain off limits to bettors. Only the slot machines will be open for business and not all of them will be up and operational. “Certain slot machines will be out of service where two metres of physical distancing is not practical,” Great Canadian Gaming said in a media release. “Plexiglass barriers will be installed between some slot machines as an added form of protection where two metres of physical distancing is not practical.”

Hand sanitizer and wipe stations will be readily available on the casino floor. “We are particularly pleased that these limited re-openings allow us to call back some of our team members, so they can get back to work,” Great Canadian Gaming said in a statement. Great Canadian Gaming owns 11 of the 27 casinos situated in Ontario.

If You Go

Ontario owns a rich heritage when it comes to the casino industry. Casinos first began to locate in the province in the early 1990s under the regulatory governance of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). The OLG regulates all forms of gambling within the province. That includes overseeing all Ontario sports betting, from the Pro-Line sports lottery to all of the province’s horse racing tracks.

In terms of casinos, they populate virtually every corner of the province. There are many popular destinations that can be packaged as part of a visit to just about any Ontario city. Let’s look at some of the more popular destinations among Ontario casinos.

Caesars Windsor

Slated to reopen Oct. 8, at first Caesars Windsor will initially limit patrons to those who are members of the Caesars Rewards program. Caesars Windsor was the first casino ever to open in the province. With its proximity to the USA – Windsor is directly across from the Canada-US border from Detroit and Michigan – the site has always proven to be a popular destination for tourists.

Winner of the AAA Four Diamond award, Caesars Windsor defines modern luxury in timeless elegance and the essence of indulgence, comfort and luxury. Masterfully-appointed guest rooms and suites in the only Four Diamond hotel located in downtown Windsor are situated in two towers overlooking the artistically-manicured riverfront trails of Windsor and Detroit. Caesars Windsor also includes world-class meeting facilities and a 4,100-seat concert venue.

Casino Woodbine

A state-of-the-art casino with more than 2,900 slot machines, 100 table games, 250 etable games and 100 stadium assist games, Casino Woodbine can scratch any bettor’s itch.

Move away from the tables or the slots and players can wager on world-class harness and thoroughbred racing. Woodbine is home to the Queen’s Plate, the first leg of Canada’s thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, and to the North America Cup, the richest race in Canadian pacing. 

Woodbine Casino is slated to reopen Sept. 28.

Fallsview Casino

The Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort boasts an impressive 200,000 square feet of gaming action. That’s the size of three football fields.

And with a 1,500-seat theatre and hotel rooms overlooking the majestic Niagara Falls, it’s no gamble staying here.

Fallsview Casino hasn’t decided on a reopening target date at this juncture.

Casino Rama

Celebrating 20 successful years, Casino Rama Resort is a complete entertainment destination and Ontario’s only First Nations Resort casino, located on Rama First Nation.

The Resort offers a complete entertainment experience with over 2,200 slot machines, more than 60 gaming tables, several unique restaurants, a world-class 5,000 seat entertainment centre, and a 300-room all-suite, full-service hotel, featuring spa and health club facilities.

As with the Fallsview Casino, Casino Rama has yet to establish a reopening date.

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