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Casinos run by Great Canadian in BC

Since 2024 Great Canadian Entertainment has sold four casinos in this guide, and each has passed to First Nations ownership. It has also agreed to sell two more, Hastings Casino and Elements Casino Surrey.

By the Ledger Desk · Checked October 7 and 8, 2026

Great Canadian in this guide

Four sales that closed

Petroglyph Development Group closed its purchase of Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria on January 16, 2025. Both sales had been announced in 2024: Nanaimo on June 24 and Victoria on September 10. Land associated with the Nanaimo casino was to return to Snuneymuxw on closing, as part of the Snuneymuxw xwsol'lexwel village. Great Canadian was to provide transition services at both casinos for up to two years.

Great Canadian Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam went to Petroglyph on May 5, 2026, after a sale first announced on December 19, 2025. Under a limited licence, it continues to operate with the Great Canadian name.

Since June 16, 2026, River Rock Casino Resort has been under the joint ownership of Petroglyph Development Group and Musqueam Capital Corp. The partners are linked to Snuneymuxw First Nation and the Musqueam Indian Band respectively. They bought the resort from Great Canadian Entertainment. Snuneymuxw First Nation is the sole shareholder of Petroglyph, which serves as the Nation's economic development arm. In the company's own phrasing, all profits are sent "back to the Nation".

The record by year

2024

Operator
Great Canadian Entertainmentsince 2001

2025

Operator
Great Canadian Entertainmentsince 2001
Sale agreed
with Petroglyph Development GroupDecember 19, 2025

2026

Owner and operator
Petroglyph Development Groupsince May 5, 2026
Closed
Sale to Petroglyph Development GroupMay 5, 2026

Two sales agreed

Hastings Casino is the subject of a sale from Great Canadian to Tsleil-Waututh Nation. The deal covers the casino portion of Hastings and its casino-related real property. A memorandum of understanding came on June 6, 2025, and a definitive agreement followed on November 7, 2025. Closing depends on regulators and the City of Vancouver.

On March 9, 2026, Great Canadian agreed to sell Elements Casino Surrey to SE-MI-AH-MU Development Corporation of Semiahmoo First Nation. The sale needs approval from regulators as well as the City of Surrey, the owner of the land. After closing, Great Canadian is to provide transition services for up to one year.

Until a closing is published, this guide calls Tsleil-Waututh Nation and SE-MI-AH-MU Development Corporation buyers, not owners.

Racetracks beside its casinos

On December 5, 2025, Great Canadian said it would no longer run a racing season at Hastings, effective immediately. The last live race there had been run on October 19, 2025. The province ended slot-revenue funding for racing effective January 31, 2026. Hastings still carries simulcasts of races run at other tracks, following a monthly schedule.

Live harness racing ran at Fraser Downs, beside Elements Casino Surrey, until August 15, 2025. On that date, the racetrack lease was ended by the City of Surrey. Since then, the track has been demolished.

Questions on the record

Why is the Coquitlam casino still called Great Canadian Casino Vancouver?

Petroglyph Development Group assumed control of the casino on May 5, 2026. Under a limited licence, the casino still uses the Great Canadian name. The casino stands in Coquitlam, not Vancouver, with the address 2080 United Boulevard.