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Exploring Gambling In British Columbia
British Columbia was named one of Canada's provinces in 1871 and is the third largest by population.
Situated on the west coast, its capital city is Victoria but perhaps the city you'll know best in the territory is Vancouver. Over four million people live in British Columbia and there are plenty of real money gambling options available.
On this page we're going to look at BC's gambling industry, what's on offer, and how everything is regulated. Our aim at Gambling.ca is to bring the residents of Canada the most thorough resource for their real cash gambling.
To guide you towards the online and land-based destinations that deliver the best experience.
- Their subjective analysis results in a shortlist of only the top-rated real cash destinations.
- Gamblers in Canada can play at the sites we list in confidence they will be safe and secure online.
- We highlight gambling websites that thrive on mobile and desktop, and offer a fine variety of games run on the best software.
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Local Casinos in British Columbia
Cascades Casino Penticton
Cascades Casino Penticton forms part of the Gateway Casinos and Entertainment LTD group and was officially launched on April 5th, 2017. This is one of the newest and most exciting casino and entertainment destinations in British Columbia. The property features a 45,000 square foot gaming and entertainment area, with over 300 slot machines including progressive jackpot machines. The casino area also features a mix of electronic roulette machines as well as live table games including three card poker, blackjack and Fast Action Hold'em games. Apart from great casino gaming, visitors can also enjoy a range of dining options and live entertainment.
Pros: Great selection of slot machines including progressive jackpot machines and penny slot machines. Live table games include three card poker including a six card bonus bet, blackjack with King's Bounty side bet, all new Fast Actions Hold'em and electronic roulette. Restaurant and bar service is excellent and the venue is modern and plush.
Cons: Casino hours at Cascades Casino Penticton are not 24 hours as with some other casinos. Casino hours from Sunday to Thursday run from 9:00am - 2:00am and from 9:00am - 3:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 553 Vees Dr, Penticton, British Columbia Canada
Tel: (250) 487-1280
Elements Casino
Elements Casino is well-situated a short distance from the Pacific Highway and will be familiar with local Canadians as the old Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino. The venue was rebranded to Elements Casino and re-launched in late December 2015. Visitors can enjoy an entirely new look and feel throughout the property, thanks to extensive renovations in all areas. Visitors can enjoy a range of activities including trackside dining and betting as well as casino gaming and live entertainment. The 60,000 square foot casino floor, offers over 500 slot machines as well as live dealer table games and electronic gaming tables.
Pros: Elements Casino is open 24 hours a day and offers a range of top casino gaming options in BC. Gaming options include both electronic and live gaming tables with blackjack, baccarat squeeze and roulette on the menu. Poker fans can enjoy exclusive Texas Hold'em or Omaha style poker. Fans of horse racing can also enjoy great horse racing action with great views of the track from one of the four restaurants and bars.
Cons: Not as many slot machines as some other casinos in BC. However, the casino offers a downstairs and upstairs slots gaming area, with the upstairs are offering the better selection of slot machines. Horse racing is only available seven months of the year.
British Columbians Have Been Gambling For Centuries
If we chart the recent gambling history of British Columbia things start to open up with the launch of a lottery in 1974. Lotto followed in 1982 and pull-tab tickets began to be sold in 1986. The 1990s saw the introduction of keno and the grand opening of BC's inaugural “destination casino”, Royal City Star, in 1999.
In 2004 things got really interesting for online gamblers, with playnow.com going live to offer real cash options to those inside the BC borders. Six years later, the site made British Columbia the first territory in Canada to run licensed online casino games. In those intervening years lots of land-based venues have opened and poker has spread like wildfire in BC.
Gambling Options For Locals
There's a lot to keep real money gamblers entertained in BC. We've already touched on lottery games, keno, pull-tab games, and land-based casinos – where you can play a range of table games and slot machines.
You can also bet on sports in British Columbia, which includes betting on the territory's horse racing meets. When it comes to online gambling, those in BC are served locally by the playnow.com site, which offers lottery, keno, pools, poker, bingo, casino games, and sports betting all at one web address.
The funds generated by the site are ploughed back into local services and worthwhile projects in BC.
Easy Gambling Access For British Columbians
British Columbia is a territory where real cash online gambling is fun, safe and secure, and can be easily accessed. You'll find some great gambling options at the site, but remember you need to be based inside the borders of BC to be able to access it.
A strong selection of the world's top-rated gambling sites can be accessed with ease from BC and enjoyed on your mobile and desktop devices. Our guide to the top gambling websites for players in Canada will help point you towards the ones with the best variety and most generous bonuses.
British Columbia FAQ
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What kind of games will I find in British Columbia casinos?
Casinos in British Columbia carry a wide variety of great casino games to suit most players. The biggest selection of specific game types is usually slot machines. This is because these are the most popular casino game in British Columbia. You will also find a mix of both live table and electronic table games as well as VLT's.
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Are VLT's the same as slot machines?
VLT's and slot machines are similar in look and design. Both are standalone units with a gaming interface and both contain a random number generator. VLT stands for Virtual Lottery Machine and they are connected to a central computer. The computer lets the relevant lottery jurisdiction monitor all VLT's and collects revenue from them.
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How old do I need to be to gamble in British Columbia casinos?
Unlike some other Canadian provinces as well as international territories and online casinos, the legal age required to be able to gamble in British Columbia is 19 and not 18. However, if you choose to gamble at certain online casinos that are not located in Canada, you will most likely only required to be 18 years of age.
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Is it safer to gamble online or at land-based casinos?
In both cases it depends on the actual casinos. There are plenty of brick and mortar casinos in British Columbia that are very safe and above board. British Columbia casinos are regulated too ensure that they are safe and fair. The same applies to online casinos, if you choose online casinos that are regulated by reputable authorities you should be fine. Some feel that online casinos are safer because you don't have to travel in order to play on them.
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What about horse racing in British Columbia?
British Columbia is one of the leading horse racing provinces in Canada. There are plenty of venues such as Elements Casino, which used to be the old Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino, offer great track side action as well as off-track betting.
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