Top 5 Oldest Casinos in Canada’s History of Gambling

The first casino in Canada was Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall, which started operating in the 70s. The Klondike Visitors Association opened the venue in Dawson City, Yukon, where it still stands today. The Diamond Tooth Gertie’s sports an 1898 saloon theme and perfectly fits the area's Klondike Gold Rush history. It is named after Gertie Lovejoy – one of Dawson's most famous dancers from the Gold Rush era. Boasting a diamond between her two front teeth, she inspired the vaudeville show, which takes place at the casino every day.

At Gertie’s, patrons can place wagers, and watch live entertainment in the same room. Visitors here are mesmerized by the acrobatic high kicks performed by Gold Rush Girls accompanying the Klondike queen herself. The casino puts up three shows per night and offers blackjack, poker, roulette, and 60+ slot machines. Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall is open all week long, from May to September. The building, built in 1901, was formerly known as Arctic Brotherhood Hall. Casino revenue is funneled into historic site preservation funds, local events, and promotion of the Yukon region.

Cash Casino opened its doors in 1980 in Calgary as Alberta's first privately owned casino. At first, the venue was only allowed to host charitable table games and events with agricultural and religious agendas. Today, Cash Casino has over 500 slot machines. The tables, where one can play blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, craps, and even Pai Gow, are open from noon to 3 am daily.

Calgary's longest-running free entertainment, The Blackjack Beauties, performs each Friday and Saturday. Poker tournaments take place at the Nevada Poker Room 6 days a week. The casino features two restaurants and a bar – and the Calgary International Airport is less than 10 miles away.

The Treasure Cove Casino is located in the heart of Northern British Columbia. The venue spans 37,000 square feet and boasts a Tuscan theme within an impressive architectural complex. The casino has over 500 slot machines and a full table pit. You can play Texas Hold’em poker, Progressive Ultimate Hold'em, blackjack, Fortune Pai Gow, and roulette. In addition to that, Treasure Cove casino has nearly 700 bingo seats (the largest bingo room in the province).

Until recently, Treasure Cove had a 5,500-square-foot show lounge that could seat 180 people and host stand-up comedy or similar events. The casino is currently expanding its show lounge to 800 seats and turning it into a concert hall. At Treasure Cove Casino, patrons can sign up for Encore rewards cards. These enable them to earn and redeem points on slot machines and tables.

When it opened in 1987, Billy Barker Casino was known as the Royal Casino. Just another charitable casino at the time, it grew to be one of the symbols of historic Quesnel, British Columbia. The casino is family-owned, and its recognizable exterior design resembles a luxurious paddlewheel ship. The name came from a miner who founded Barkerville in the 19th century, close to Quesnel.  You know, like the ones that used to sail across the Fraser River during the Gold Rush.

The establishment underwent extensive remodeling, completely altering the lobby, restaurant, and lounge to make them more appealing to high rollers. The complex has a gaming room housing a variety of slots and roulette tables, a hotel, a café and lounge, and a showroom. The convention/banquet facility seats 100 people and is suitable for seminars and workshops. The venue’s slogan is “old world elegance & modern amenities,” which describes the place well.

The history of gambling in Canada hides another gem—Cowboys Casino. It was established in 1988 in Calgary, following the successful years-long operation of Cash Casino. The venue is situated in trendy Victoria Park, quite near the Calgary Stampede grounds. It expands across 96,000 square feet, housing a gambling floor, an impressive bar, two restaurants, and a dance hall. The name kind of gives away the theme of the casino—it’s the cowboys.

Calgary’s number one gaming location, Cowboys Casino, offers 33 tables, over 350 slot machines, and a high-limit room. The poker room is open 24/7, and the dealers run Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Pineapple, Limit, and No Limit poker. Customers have access to nightly massages, late-night food, and complimentary breakfast. Many patrons appreciate the heated underground parking, especially in cold Calgary winters!

Here’s an overview of the key features of Canada’s oldest casinos. This summary will allow you to grasp the timeline of these casinos and compare their game offering.  

While online gambling in Canada is getting more and more popular, yet visiting a land-based casino remains a unique experience. Some of the oldest venues out there are all-rounders, multi-purpose entertainment centers running solely for your pleasure. You can combine your gambling adventures with enjoying meals, shopping, and seeing entertaining shows. A trip to one of Canada’s best casinos can be the vacation of a lifetime. Ask yourself this – is there a better feeling than celebrating someone’s win with the entire house? Well, yes – when it’s your win!