Alberta’s gaming, liquor and cannabis regulator will allow the Camrose Casino to relocate to south Edmonton.
The casino had applied to Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis to move from Camrose, 70 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, to a site at 420 Parsons Road S.W.
The proposal was for an 88,000 square-foot facility with 498 slot machines, 25 table games and eight poker tables.
In a media statement Thursday, the AGLC said its board has approved the application.
In 2022, the AGLC rejected a previous application to relocate the casino to Edmonton on grounds it didn’t have enough community support.
Edmonton non-profit groups have raised concerns about how the move would affect the pooling system for charitable gaming, which is a significant source of funds for local organizations.
The system sees charities and non-profits share casino proceeds after volunteering to manage a casino event, with groups assigned to a casino within their designated region — usually, the region where the organization is located.
The AGLC said that despite moving into Edmonton, the Camrose Casino will stay in the rural pool for charitable gaming events, which means Edmonton organizations will be excluded from revenues.
The AGLC said the relocation will deliver “significant additional revenue” for the provincial government, and that contributing to provincial revenue is part of the regulator’s responsibility.
Edmonton AM6:11Camrose Casino is again applying to move to Edmonton
Alberta’s gaming regulator is looking into a bid to relocate the Camrose casino to a site in south Edmonton. It’s the second time the casino has tried to move to the city. The plan has drawn criticism from Edmonton community leagues, which are concerned it will impact city charities. Morris Henderson is the treasurer of the Rotary Club of Camrose Daybreak.
“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,” the AGLC said.
The Ace Blackfoot Casino, within Calgary’s city boundaries, is also designated for rural charities in southern Alberta, according to the AGLC. But events there are reserved for rural organizations without an existing casino.
Relocating the casino from Camrose to Edmonton is not a done-deal, the AGLC noted.
Further steps include securing municipal land-use permits, zoning and development approvals, and building the new facility.