Parq Casino Vancouver is seeking to significantly grow its gambling operations through a new proposal that would increase its number of slot machines by 50 per cent. The downtown casino has submitted an application to add 300 more machines, bringing the total from 600 to 900.
Parq Casino Vancouver Says Expansion Is Needed to Meet Increased Expectations
In its application to the City of Vancouver, Parq Casino states that it currently has the lowest slot machine density among casinos in the Lower Mainland, and that its current gaming offerings are insufficient to meet demand. The casino estimates that around two-thirds of gambling revenue from Vancouver residents is spent at casinos outside the city.
Parq Casino, which replaced the former Edgewater Casino at the Plaza of Nations, retained the same gaming capacity, which was 600 slot machines and 75 table games. Edgewater hadn’t increased its number of slot machines since 2005 or its table games since 2007.
Meanwhile, demand has grown significantly. Vancouver’s population has increased from approximately 560,000 to 700,000 over the past two decades, with the wider region growing from 2.1 million to more than three million. Rising tourism has further added to the pressure on local gambling facilities.
No changes to the building’s exterior or structure would be required to accommodate the 300 additional slot machines. If approved by the City, the expansion would be implemented gradually over one to two years. The current casino occupies 72,000 square feet across two floors, with a particularly spacious layout on the second level. The existing floor space designated for gaming is sufficient to support the proposed 50 per cent increase in slot machines.
The application also notes that, in theory, the space could support up to 1,200 slot machines (double the current number), however, such an expansion is not being considered at this time. Parq’s request for expansion comes just a few months after Vancouver’s council eased casino restrictions, allowing facilities to grow more easily.
Vancouver Stands to See Increased Tax Revenue from Expansion
Under provincial policy, municipalities receive 10% of the net gambling revenue generated by casinos within their boundaries each year. In the 2023/2024 fiscal year, the City of Vancouver collected $6 million from Parq Casino’s revenues. With the proposed addition of 300 slot machines, the City is projected to gain an extra $2.7 million to $3.1 million over the first three years.
Between 1999 and the 2023/2024 fiscal year, Vancouver received a total of $159.1 million in casino revenue. Over the past three fiscal years alone, the city earned $19.3 million in combined gambling revenue from both Parq Casino and Hastings Racecourse and Casino.