Winnipeg casinos aren’t very well known outside of Manitoba, but the city definitely has plenty of entertainment options. There are 2 large gambling houses, 2 bingo halls, around 1,100 restaurants, and a horse racing track within Winnipeg’s metropolitan area. Only one of the city’s gaming venues features a hotel.
Club Regent is the largest casino in the area in terms of the number of available activities. The venue was originally established in 1993 and has been run by the provincial government ever since. Club Regent’s interior features the Caribbean and South American motives, with plenty of references to Mayan and Aztec cultures. The facility is located near the city’s International Airport (within a 25-minutes’ drive). Club Regent provides a wide range of services, including 1,200 slots and multiple live dealer tables. Available activities include roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and craps; in addition to live options, one may access an array of VLTs on the first floor of the venue. Club Regent also provides a bingo hall and a poker room. The latter hosts regular tournaments, with buy-ins starting from $80. Club Regent is the only one of all Winnipeg casinos that features a hotel. There’s also a restaurant, a bar, and an ice cream shop on the facility’s territory.
Address: 1425 Regent Avenue West Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R2C 3B2
Phone number: 1-800-265-3912
McPhillips Station Casino was launched alongside Club Regent in 1993; both venues are owned by the provincial government and redirect a significant part of their profits to financing the public sector. McPhillips Station has recently gone through a major renovation: a 45-million-dollar plan, executed in 2015, provided the facility with an upgraded façade, a new gaming hall, and enhancements for existing rooms. Today, the venue provides 1,200 slots and 44 live tables, offering blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. Although McPhillips Station Casino doesn’t feature a hotel, its location near a large transportation hub and the city’s downtown guarantees that there are plenty of places to stay around it. The complex’s territory includes 3 lounge bars, offering a selection of local craft beer, cocktails, and spirits.
Address: 484 McPhillips Street Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R2X 2H2
Phone number: 1-800-265-3912
Assiniboia Downs is the only horse racing track in Manitoba, which also features an array of video gaming machines. There are 60 VLTs currently available (mind that slots are open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.). The facility runs regular live races and provides its own betting website. Assiniboia Downs also includes a 60,000 sq ft event center. The main hall, with a total floor space of 25,000 sq ft, offers enough room for conferences, weddings, or any other gatherings of up to 1,500 guests. Assiniboia Downs features a fine dining restaurant and an open-air terrace.
Address: 3975 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3K 2E9
Phone number: 1.800.282.8053
Gambling law regulating all Winnipeg casinos is set by the provincial government of Manitoba, particularly the local Liquor and Gaming Authority. This organ is responsible for determining the legal gambling age, deciding which activities should be allowed or banned, and evaluating the quality of services provided by casinos in Winnipeg and other cities of the province. However, gambling venues operated by the First Nations aren’t directly regulated by the provincial government. Both types of casinos can legally provide a comprehensive range of services, including table games, slots, VLTs, and sports betting. In addition, local charitable organizations may raise funds through organizing gambling activities, particularly bingo, poker, and raffles.
Manitoba is a great location for young players; the legal betting age in the province is 18 years. It’s one of the few provinces on the map of Canada (along with Quebec and Alberta) that allow 18-year-olds to play any kinds of games. Manitoba’s laws permit establishing online betting sites on the province’s territory; however, there’s only one legal web casino currently in business. The list of unlicensed sites is far wider – it includes over 1,000 operators. Similar to other Canadian provinces, Manitoba has a wide network of VLTs with decent returns; these machines can be found in various establishments across the province, including bars, restaurants, and bingo halls.
There are 2 casinos in Winnipeg offering a comprehensive range of activities (slots, table games, and dineries). In addition, the city is home to 2 bingo halls and a horse racing track, which also features plenty of VLTs.
The biggest casino in Winnipeg is Club Regent. It offers around 1,200 slot machines and plenty of table games.
The first gambling house to ever open in Winnipeg was Crystal Casino, which was established in 1990. Crystal wasn’t just the first gaming facility in the city; in fact, the venue was the first casino operated by the government in the whole Western Hemisphere! Unfortunately, the facility was shut down in 1997, due to the launch of McPhillips Station and Club Regent casinos.