Alberta could become Canada’s main gambling destination as work commences on the expansion of the River Cree Resort & Casino.
The expansion will add 240 hotel rooms and an estimated 40,000 square feet of new event space to the gambling complex in Enoch. River Cree, alongside Alberta’s other major casino resort complexes, Stoney Nakoda and Grey Eagle, make Alberta a popular destination for visitors of brick-and-mortar casinos. The expansion will see the casino double in size and could make British Columbia’s casinos look less impressive in comparison.
However, just like British Columbia's land-based casinos, the likes of the River Cree must compete with the thriving online casino market in Canada. The rise of same-day payment online casinos has made digital gambling sites more convenient than their physical counterparts. When examining the quickest payout casinos, gambling expert Joe Napier found that some online casinos can now complete payment processing within minutes. Most crypto-accepting casinos, for example, can provide instant withdrawals.
Canada’s brick-and-mortar casinos have yet to fully embrace cryptocurrency in their slots and table games. However, physical casinos such as River Cree are hoping to attract new customers to their venues by expanding their food, drink and entertainment options.
River Cree’s current renovation work is costing the owners, River Cree Nation, approximately $200 million. However, the company behind the casino has stated that funding for the expansion has been raised entirely by money made at the casino. Alberta-based casino players won't be able to use the casino’s new facilities until 2027 as the renovation work is expected to take three years to complete. However, once completed, the owners have stated that they hope their newly renovated casino will become an “economic powerhouse”.
What does this mean for the casinos in neighbouring provinces?
Like River Cree Resort & Casino, many of British Columbia’s casinos have recently undergone, or are about to undergo, significant expansions. For example, the Vancouver council approved the expansions of both the Hastings Racecourse and Casino and the Parq Vancouver Casino Resort in May 2024.
Plus, it was recently announced that 2,000 hotel rooms are going to be added at the site of the Richmond Night Market, which is right next to one of British Columbia’s premier casino venues, the River Rock Casino Resort. This expansion was approved as a solution to Vancouver’s current hotel shortage. A report recently conducted by Destination Vancouver found that Metro Vancouver requires an additional 20,000 hotel rooms to support British Columbia’s booming tourism industry. The addition of more hotel rooms within the locality of major casinos could help British Columbia compete with the casino infrastructure found in other provinces.
Casinos located in both British Columbia and Alberta are in a state of change. Currently, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia are the three highest-grossing provinces in Canada in terms of gambling revenue. Ontario’s regulated online gambling market is particularly lucrative, having earned $2.4 billion during its second year. Ontario is often considered to have the most robust gambling market in Canada.
However, once the ongoing renovation of Canada’s casinos is completed, a new highest-grossing gambling province may be declared.
DISCLAIMER: The information presented on this page/site is intended for entertainment purposes only. Please be aware that gambling entails inherent risks, and it's crucial to acknowledge this when utilizing online gambling platforms.
This sponsored content has been paid for by our sponsor and does not reflect the reviews and recommendations made by Tri-City News staff.
