Ontario: Gateway's Playtime Casino Wasaga Beach celebrates grand opening ceremony

While Playtime Casino Wasaga Beach has been active for a few weeks now, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment celebrated the official opening ceremony of its new property last week. The casino, located at 88 Lyon’s Court, represents a CAD 34.3 million ($25.8 million) investment in the community of Wasaga Beach, Ontario, and has created 140 new jobs. 

Celebrating the grand opening were Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith; Wasaga Council Members; Rama First Nations Chief Ted Williams; Simcoe-Grey MPP Brian Saunderson; and the President & CEO of OLG, Duncan Hannay.

The new casino spans almost 25,000 square feet and features 250 slots and electronic table games; as well as MATCH Eatery & Public House, a Gateway signature brand; and a large outdoor patio and Arcade Bar on the gaming floor. The casino is open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Carrie Kormos, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, commented: “Gateway is extremely proud to celebrate the grand opening of Playtime Casino Wasaga Beach. We have been warmly welcomed by this community from the day we announced our intention to locate here.” 

“We believe Wasaga Beach has a great future and our investment here supported by OLG is now showing dividends not only in the 140 new jobs for the community, but also in establishing a year-round entertainment attraction for both visitors and residents alike," she added.

Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith added: “It’s great to see Gateway’s new Playtime Casino off to such a wonderful start here in Wasaga Beach. I am so pleased that you chose our community to invest and share our confidence in the potential of our town. You are not only providing jobs but another reason to visit the Beach.”

The Wasaga Beach Ministerial Food Bank received a CAD 5,000 donation from Gateway Friday, which is the official beneficiary of the GatewayGives charitable donations program. The food bank already received a portion of the casino's food and beverage sales from MATCH from Dec. 1 - 30.

Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey, stated: “Gateway Casinos is a welcome new addition to Wasaga Beach and our surrounding communities. Not only has the casino created much-needed year-round employment for the town but a new and dependable source of income in MCA payments provided on a quarterly basis to support a whole host of initiatives that will directly benefit Wasaga Beach residents."

Grand opening activities included $1000 cash draws at 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.; hot seat draws throughout the day/evening where patrons were able to win free play, gifts or MATCH gift cards; and a cupcake giveaway.

OLG’s President & CEO Duncan Hannay noted: “It is a real privilege to be able to partner with communities like Wasaga Beach in working with our service providers to deliver capital investment, create jobs, and offer world-class entertainment in a safe and secure environment.” 

Ahead of the official launch ceremony, Playtime first opened its doors to the public on November 23, 2022. “In a little over a month, we have seen how the new Playtime Casino Wasaga Beach has already begun to contribute to the life of the region,” Hannay added.