The Outlook on Prince Edward Island Casinos

Prince Edward Island is known to be the smallest province in Canada in both population and area. There are only two cities in the province - Charlottetown, the acting capital and largest town and Summerside, - the only other city in Prince Edward Island.

The following page will provide you with enough information about the gambling conditions in the province, as well as where you can find brilliant land based casino experiences. We'll be discussing the following topics:

  • A brief history of gambling in Prince Edward Island
  • The current state of the legal provisions regulating casino online gambling
  • The top casinos that every visitor should know about
Quick Facts
  • There are only two land based casinos in the entire province
  • Currently there are only 8 gaming tables in PEI and 40 Video Lottery Terminals
  • There are 182 lottery ticket outlets in Prince Edward Island
BEST CANADIAN ONLINE CASINOS

The Start of Gambling within the Province

gambling history

It goes without saying that Canada has a rich gambling history, which can be traced back to the 15th century before John Cabot in 1497. Once the Europeans settled in the area, they also brought their traditional games with them, which were mainly card games because they were easier to carry. Furthermore, while the gold rush was going on in the Klondike many gold miners found different opportunities to get rich apart from mining for gold - through betting on card games. It wasn't until 1892 when gambling in Canada was officially legalized, but under very stringent legal conditions. In 1970, an important regulation was implemented, which stated that every province within the country is free to regulate gambling as it sees fit within its own jurisdiction.

Local Rules on Gambling

If you are looking for a fun night out to spend with your friends or you are stuck with weekend getaway ideas, Prince Edward Island's casinos are definitely a great choice as they also accept horse racing bets.

Online gambling in the region of Prince Edward Island has been debated for a considerable amount of time. Back in 2009, it seemed as if the province was going to thoroughly regulate online gambling, but the effort quickly came to a standstill. A few years had passed and there was a lot of effort put into establishing sound and stable legal provisions that would regulate online gambling in the area.

The Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) doesn't just regulate the two casinos here in Prince Edward Island, but it also owns them. Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) are overseen by the Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission (PEILC), but Atlantic Lottery Corporation operates and manages them. Horse racing is big in PEI and it's governed by the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission and the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA). Horse Racing PEI manages all horse racing activities.

Popular Prince Edward Island Casinos

Red Shores Racetrack & Casino

Red Shores Racetrack & Casino

Being located within Charlottetown Driving Park, the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino got completely rebranded back in 2005. The park itself is established as one of the best race tracks in all of Eastern Canada. The casino is open from 11am - 12am, Monday to Thursday, from 11am - 2am on Friday and Saturday, and 24 hours on Sunday. The casino offers 210 gaming machines as well as six different poker games. The entire facility is also home to three restaurants and spread over a 5,700 sf. The casino is owned and operated by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

Red Shores at Summerside

Red Shores at Summerside

Bearing a similar name is the other casino in Prince Edward Island, Red Shores at Summerside. The casino opens at 11am and is open until 11pm from Sunday through Thursday. It opens at 11am and closes at 1am from Friday through Saturday. The establishment is home to the West End Bar & Grill. It also offers different video slots as well as card-based games such as blackjack and poker. Some of the new slots offered at Red Shores include 'Game of Thrones', 'Ellen', 'Candy Bars', and many more.

On The Hunt for a Reputable Gaming Venue

Reputable Gaming Venue

The small province of Prince Edward Island has only two working land based casinos that you can play in. They are located in the only two cities in the province - Charlottetown and Summerside. However, there is no shortage of gambling opportunities in each one of them. They offer slot machines with tremendous real money payouts, incentivizing Canadian Dollar bonuses, as well as reliable customer support.

However, if you feel that the game selection is lacking at these casinos, you can always jump on a casino online to find your favourite titles. CasinoOnline.ca has a long list of reputable Canadian casinos you can entrust your real cash with.

Start your casino online adventure now!

FAQ

The minimum gambling age in Prince Edward Island, online casinos and land based ones alike, is 19. While most of Canada adheres to the 19 and over gambling age, there are three provinces in which the gambling age is 18. These include Manitoba, Alberta, and Quebec. Minors are advised to avoid gambling at all costs as doing so can land them in legal trouble.
Prince Edward Island Lotteries Commission regulates gambling ventures such as EGMs at non casino locations. The Atlantic Lottery Corporation regulates and operates the two land based casinos. Horse racing, however, is regulated by the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency as well as the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission.
Even though you are not legally required to pay taxes on the winnings you get from gambling if it isn't the only way you make a living, it's highly advisable that you carefully examine your individual situation. If you use gambling as your main source of income, then you will be held responsible to pay taxes on winnings. However, if you are a casual gambler, your winnings will not be subjected to tax.
While the gambling scene is still low-key in PEI, this form of entertainment is picking up momentum not just here, but across Canada. Therefore, it seems that more casinos may be opened down the road once the population is able to sustain such establishments. As far as playing at a casino online is concerned, Canadians can easily hop on the internet and play their preferred casino online games with a few clicks.
Staying safe while gambling online is easier than it might seem. Just be smart and play at well-regarded online casinos to help you stay out of trouble. Also be careful about the information you give out to different people online and don't trust anyone with your financial details, even if they claim to be members of the casino or your bank. Apart from those simple things, you can look at the licence that a casino holds, as well as whether or not it has the eCOGRA stamp. Doing these simple things will help you stay safe online.