When Will Casinos Reopen in Ontario

by Mike Hunter

Published on Apr 28 2021

As the Canadian regions move into a colour-coded scheme to adapt the lock-down measures according to their current virus situation, less-essential businesses are allowed to operate under 25% capacity limit, under the condition of following social distancing measures and other prevention rules. 

Wondering when are casinos opening in Ontario? Land based casino houses fall under the definition of less-essential businesses (regardless of the huge taxes they pay), and eventually they get a chance for a breather.

Many bigger companies announced reopening of their brick-and-mortar facilities, but this does not seem to be a quick process. Considering the shere nature of the land based gambling houses, following the new anti-virus protocols requires considerable investments, while many gambling companies literally have to survive these days. 

To find out about when will Ontario casinos reopen, players are recommended to check open casinos in Ontario websites on a regular basis for the most recent updates. 

What Casinos Are Open In Ontario 

Today, Ontario gamblers asking when will casinos reopen in Ontario can already enjoy their favourite real money betting activities at some land based casino houses and other betting facilities that have reopened recently for offline visitors.

The list below provides venues that are open, and explains if any antivirus limitations are applied to the casino’s functioning. No need to ask when will casinos open in Ontario anymore.

OLG Slots at Woodbine Racetrack

Run by a huge gambling operator OLG Slots, Woodbine Racetrack combines a racetrack and one of the Ontario casinos reopening, which is a perfect place for passionate gamblers wanting to try it all. This is also a nice place for all people who want to have a good time, hang out, enjoy a music show and some games. It is also one of the first OLG casinos reopening. 

Reopened: on June 13, 2021

Working hours: open 24 hours 

Address: 555 Rexdale Blvd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 5L1 

Phone: +1 416-675-1101 

Details: due to governmental restrictions, the facility can welcome a limited number of gamblers and spectators. The facility also recommends online betting options for safety.

Pickering Casino Resort

This new facility promises fun and entertainment due to over 2,000 slot machines, 100 Live Table Games, and 167 Live Dealer Stadium Gaming terminals. The casino also offers a wide range of options for dining and snack, and some musical events. 

Reopened: on June 1, 2021 

Working hours: open 24 hours 

Address: 888 Durham Live Avenue, Pickering, ON L1W 0C1 

Phone: N/A

Details: due to being in the last stage of construction when the lockdown started, this resort had to quickly adapt and implement all the necessary limitations. These include a limited number of visitors, and other antivirus measures required by the Ontario government.

Georgian Downs

Georgian Downs is one of the Ontario casinos opening again, and it offers slots and table games with Dealers along with dining and various entertaining events. There are many slot machines and automated games machines offered to visitors. However, the Table Games are still to reopen later. As for dining, the restaurant is still closed, but takeaway express is available. 

Reopened: on June 15, 2021 

Working hours: open 24 hours 

Address: 7485 5th Side Rd, Innisfil, ON L9S 3S1 

Phone: +1 705-726-6770  

Details: Table games are reopening July 21, 2021. Other nuances include reduced seating capacities, all surfaces being sanitized, etc.

Hanover Raceway

Being a completely outdoors facility for races, Hanover Raceway already has a stable schedule of races and events for the year 2021. This is a perfect place for race betting fans who have missed being outdoors with other people during all these months. There are very few limitations applied by the facility, so one can enjoy betting to the fullest. 

Reopened: on June 15, 2021 

Working hours: N/A

Address: 265 5th St, Hanover, ON N4N 3X3

Phone: +1 519-364-2860 

Details: fans capacity is controlled, but the trend is to constantly increase the capacity.

Riverview Bingo Palace

This huge and very popular Bingo hall is already up and running again, with regular Bingo sessions and other similar games available according to the schedule. At last Bingo fans can enjoy live gaming, and the company of like-minded people, although even with some reasonable restrictions. 

Reopened: on June 1, 2021 

Working hours: Wed-Sat, 12AM - 8PM 

Address: 497 Riverview Dr, Chatham, ON N7M 5J5 

Phone: +1 519-351-3232 

Details: the number of Bingo sessions is decreased, as well as the seating capacity. Thursday and Saturday are at home Bingo playing days.

List Of Casinos Reopening

Since gambling is fully legal in Ontario, there are numerous offline betting houses and racetracks around the province. However, most of them are still temporarily closed, and the exact dates of when will casinos reopen are not announced. If the list above is not enough and you want to know what casinos are open in Ontario, find out more about the situation for each particular casino house, check out the following table.

As can be seen from the table, some casinos in Ontario start reopening right now. However, this is a slow process, and the first facilities to reopen are racetracks (obviously due to the ability to hold events outside) and bingo halls (also probably due to the ability to use space according to the Covid-19 restrictions). If you ask are any casinos open in Ontario, now you can track this with this list of casinos opening in Ontario.

Online Alternatives

Land based gambling houses are very popular in Canada, in general, so little wonder dedicated players are impatient about when will casinos in Ontario reopen after the lock-downs. More people want to know if any casinos open in Ontario. However, entertainment is not locked down together with offline casino houses, because there is an online alternative. There are many online casinos allowed in Canada, accepting Canadian customers for real money betting. 

While it is obvious that Ontario online casino sites cannot provide the same festive atmosphere and the level of partying as offline houses do, let’s be honest - we gamblers are unlikely to see much casino partying in the nearest future anyways, moreover, new anti-virus policies to be followed by offline houses will shut down most of the fun. Therefore, online casinos, and especially Live Dealer Games casinos, are to provide most of the gambling fun until the whole pandemic thing is over. 

Those curious about the possibilities of online casinos in Canada should be cautious and only make real money bets at safe and reliable casinos already tested by years of operation. If anyone is unsure about those, they would benefit from how to choose the online casino guide.

Why Land-Based Casinos Are Important for Community?

In Canada, gambling is fully legal (if the casino house is licensed by the government, of course), and local casinos reopening in Ontario create jobs and pay huge taxes to the state, including impressive payments for charities and social projects. 

While gambling business has always been somewhat frowned upon, as an entertainment potentially causing addiction and social issues, gambling business in Canada in general, and in Ontario in particular, is an important part of many industries and therefore, it plays an important role for local communities. 

This is especially true for smaller cities where big Ontario casinos reopen and SPA resorts operate. Many citizens are employed at those resorts, or work / own businesses partnering with those resorts.

Many local initiatives in the area of land development and improvement, healthcare projects, and education projects, are financed by the gambling businesses. So, when casinos will reopen in Ontario is crucial not only for people wanting to have fun making bets, but for huge communities around those betting houses or racetracks.

The New Normal Anti-Virus Measures 

While offline parlours reopening is eagerly awaited, and people ask when will the casinos reopen, there is one important thing to keep in mind - the new anti-virus protocols all gambling houses will have to follow.

The preventative measures that are the most widespread include: 

• little to no live music events or dance shows
• little to no whatever events or parties in casino houses (bigger resorts may be allowed to host events outside)
• limited hours of operation (no 24/7 anymore for many facilities) to provide proper cleaning
• limited staff like bartenders or waiters
• little to no dining services at most casino houses
• little to no additional services like shisha bars or coffee shops
• limited capacity for serving the customers - to make sure the number of visitors and staff meets the requirements for social distancing
• plastic screens to separate the players from staff and from each other
• limited table games where many players are allowed at one table
• chips, dice, cards, and other small casino stuff replaced with single-use or washable items (often less attractive than regular items everyone is used to)
• plastic styluses for using slot machines and other games, to prevent players from actually touching anything with bare hands
• gloves and masks will be a must (probably for years (hopefully not!))
• sanitizers and wet wipes for every move around the casino house

These measures do not seem appealing, despite the fact they are crucial for healthcare. This is why we believe online casino gambling is the best alternative these days. If you want to know are Ontario casinos open, mind your safety first.

Where To Look for Updates on Casino Reopening in Ontario 

The most reliable strategy on tracking the most recent updates on Ontario casino houses reopening is to track each casino website separately. Find casino houses you prefer, and just double-check on their websites from time to time, say once a week. Many reviewing sites and even Google snippets fail to track updates really fast, while websites usually provide the most recent updates. 

Another good place to track casino houses reopening dates for Ontario is sign up for casino houses social media, like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. These are updated literally every day, and as soon as the casino operator decides it is safe to reopen - be sure, they will announce it really loud. 

If you are not into social media, and don’t want to double-check a dozen websites every week, just come back to this table above to see reopening dates.