Best casinos in Calgary, Canada
Although not its capital, Calgary is the largest city in the Canadian province of Alberta — situated about 80 km from the Canadian side of the Rocky Mountains. Calgary’s got around 1,3 million inhabitants making it the second largest city in Canada after Toronto and Montreal and the fourth largest urban area in the country. The people of Calgary are known as Calgarians and, like other Canadians, they enjoy gambling.
The city is also a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts due to the large number of holiday parks in the mountains. More and more people, therefore, tend to combine their stay in Alberta with a visit to a land based casino and it’s easy to see why. Don’t we all just want to find the right balance between peace and entertainment during our holidays?
Best Online Casinos in Calgary
Play casino games online at a legit, trusted and recommended online casino who accept players from Calgary
[sc name=”casinos-ca”][/sc]Gambling in Calgary
When it comes to gambling in Alberta, we are delighted to inform you that this province has a very rich gambling history. The first games of chance were introduced back in 1967 when a small selection of games were offered at the state fare in its capital city, Edmonton. Over a decade later, its first proper casino opened in 1980. Today, pretty much every game of chance is allowed in Calgary meaning that table games like roulette and blackjack, slots, VLT’s, poker, bingo, and the lotty are all available to players who want to try their luck.
Alberta’s gambling capital
Calgary is quite a remarkable place in Alberta as this is the biggest city with about 1,4 million people. The gambling market is therefore regulated by a local organisation, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). This authority regulates and governs the whole gambling sector in this province making it one of the most popular gambling destinations in Alberta. Some would even call it the most gambling friendly province in Canada. In fact: thanks to its popularity, gambling revenues play a major role in the province’s finances.
Casinos in Calgary
People who are looking for a brick and mortar casino in Calgary will find themselves lucky as there are many options to choose from. This doesn’t only concern casinos, but the complete entertainment industry. In terms of casinos you will find a wide variety of games of chances including cheap penny slot machines to VIP table games for high rollers. Tournament fanaticos will always have an event to choose, no matter what kind of game you prefer.
1. Cowboys Casino
As Cowboys Casino is located in downtown Calgary, this might just be your first option. There is a nightclub at the same place, so there are always music shows and other events going on, especially in the weekend. If you’re looking for an unforgettable gambling experience, you might want to visit the gambling floor with the high limit options. Poker players will certainly be lucky at this Calgary casino as well, as this venue hosts one of the best Calgary poker rooms. Have we already mentioned that breakfast and parking are free?
2. Grey Eagle & Resort Casino
At this is a 4-star resort you can count on world class facilities at Grey Eagle & Resort Casino and this isn’t only limited to the casino. This gambling establishment is also equipped with full service meeting rooms and a business center so there’s more going on at this place than just gambling and fun. With its more than 84,000 square feet, the casino floor is huge. More than 860 slots and 40 table games are lined up for you in this casino. One of the most popular table games at Grey Eagle & Resort Casino is poker and there’s actually a 24 hour poker room where you’ll be served by a live dealer. Make sure you don’t miss out on the special music and/or comedy nights at this casino. This casino offers a full entertainment package.
3. Cash Casino
Cash Casino is meant for visitors who want to avoid the big city, meaning that it’s somewhat isolated from the rest of the entertainment options in the area. Before we move on to their main games of chances, we need to point out first that the food options are quite something at Cash Casino. We recommend the Asian lunch buffers, but there are plenty of other options as well for people who value good food just as much as a good casino floor. Something you might (or might not) enjoy is that there are special roulette and blackjack nights in the weekend that come up with some go-go dancers as well. We would nearly forget to mention that there are also 500 slots, VLT’s, and provincial progressive jackpots.
4. Pure Casino Calgary
This casino is located in the province’s biggest city, making it a very practical choice. There are a lot of sport options, so if you want to play tennis or football before or after your gambling session, you’ve got enough options in terms of sports. With more than 850 slots, VLT’s and table games like baccarat and blackjack, you should be able to find your favorite game of chance at Pure Casino Calgary. Restaurant options are also very comforting as most people will enjoy the Mediterranean look and feel of both the restaurant and its menu. The good thing about Pure Casino Calgary is that it’s located in the heart of Calgary, so if you want to go somewhere before or after making a wager at this casino, there are plenty of options nearby.
5. Century Casino Calgary (current closed)
Thanks to its many games of chance, bowling zone, and dining options, Century Casino Calgary is one of the most popular casinos among both residents and visitors. Slot machines come in hundreds and VLTs and table games are also widely available. Make sure you don’t miss out on the so-called Winner’s Zone which gives its players amazing prizes like cash prizes, fully arranged trips and even cars. The dining options at this casino are also excellent with a full service grill menu, as this casino tries to make it as tasty and social as possible. If you want to organise a party at this casino you can rent a pool or play a pub game either before or after heading to the bowling zone or the 18-hole miniature golf lane. They are open all day; therefore, it is an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with family and kids.
Online gambling in Calgary
The province of Alberta is historically known to be one of the most advanced places of Canada and this has also been the case in terms of gambling. Funny enough there aren’t a lot of online casino websites available in Calgary — at least not websites that are regulated by a local gambling authority. PlayAlberta.ca has been launched to give local players a local alternative to foreign casino websites that have gained a lot of popularity in Alberta as well. Like in other places in Canada people are being made aware of the fact that local spending means local revenues.
PlayAlberta.ca’s slow start
Nevertheless, online gambling at other websites than PlayAlberta.ca is still possible as there are no ip-blocks or prohibitions to make a wager elsewhere. As bonuses tend to be better on websites from other countries, PlayAlberta.ca will have a difficult time to make players in Canada still on this website. The amount of games available is still too low to be able to compete against major casinos with an European license. It is expected, however, that this local casino website will be expanding its game collection to be able to reach out to more players. Luckily, people in Calgary do have a lot of land based casinos as well to play at.