The future site of the Camrose Casino, 420 Parsons Road SW, in Edmonton Tuesday Oct. 22, 2024. The 88,000 square-foot facility will have 498 slot machines, 25 table games and eight poker tables.
Why the Edmonton location was approved
In its statement on the recently approved Edmonton facility, AGLC said that it gave “careful consideration of objections and support” for the application.
“In balancing all the options, the decision to approve the application will support continuous business operations, provide jobs for Albertans and will significantly improve returns for rural charities with minimal impact to charities assigned to the Edmonton pool,” AGLC said in a news release.
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“AGLC has a key responsibility to be a direct contributor to provincial revenue. This relocation will result in significant additional revenue for the Government of Alberta which in turn contributes to the foundational services that Albertans rely on.”
Edmonton charities aren't happy with the relocation of the casino because it will benefit rural charities as opposed to local ones
The difference from previous applications
Although the applications for relocation have come in relatively short succession, AGLC views them as fundamentally different. While the location and timeline for the building are similar, the applications differ for a few reasons.
The 2024 application included:
- 88,000 square feet
- 498 slot machines
- 25 table games
- eight poker tables
Once constructed, the Edmonton location of Camrose’s offerings (which doesn’t yet have a name) will rival its competitors.
The River Cree Resort and Casino at Enoch Cree Nation, on the edge of west Edmonton, has a combined gaming space of just under 90,000 square feet between its main casino floor and Embers space (smoke-friendly), though that number will rise to 115,000 square feet once the expansion is complete by 2027. Currently, the second-largest casino in the city is PURE Casino, with 72,000 square feet of gambling space in southeast Edmonton.
The current casino’s location in Camrose, meanwhile, will remain operating in that town of roughly 19,000 people, about 90 kilometres south of Edmonton.
“Camrose will be always a casino, but we’re changing the licence,” said Assal, explaining that it will allow the Camrose location to operate as a community gaming centre, meaning it will have all of its same gaming options plus the addition of bingo.
