The casino next door, in plain facts

Who may enter?

Adults 19 and over. The operator's family policy states that persons under 19 are prohibited from entering or accessing any casino or gaming floor at all times, and that minors may not wait in or pass through the controlled approaches to it. The age is set by Ontario's rules; the provincial regulator is the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

What ID is needed?

The operator's notice on its destination page is specific: a valid, original government-issued photo ID and a secondary photo ID are required on entry. The accepted list includes an Ontario driver's licence or one from another province or country, an Ontario photo card, a passport, a Secure Indian Status Card, a military photo ID, a firearm acquisition card, a citizenship card and a permanent resident card. Photocopies and pictures of documents are not accepted. An Ontario health card cannot be requested, but the notice says it can be accepted if offered.

When is it open?

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, as is the hotel. The operator confirmed this in an update on 2 October 2026, written during a labour dispute at its Greater Toronto Area properties; it said Great Blue Heron was "operating as usual".

How big is it?

Opened

1997, by the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation

Slot machines

More than 500; the operator's own counter shows 566

Live table games

20

Also listed

Electronic table games, a high-limit area, a sports betting kiosk, a bar

Age

19+

Hours

24 hours, every day

Sources differ on the numbers, which is normal for a floor that changes. A 2024 press release mentioned more than 600 slot machines, 16 table games and 10 electronic tables; an older encyclopedia entry has 545 machines and 60 tables. We print the operator's current figures.

A little history

The casino opened in 1997 with gaming tables and a 650-seat bingo hall; the bingo hall was gone by the end of the 1990s and the building was renovated in 1999 and 2000 (encyclopedia account, secondary). In 2016 the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation took over management from the First Nation, and the operating rights then passed to Ontario Gaming GTA, a partnership of Great Canadian and Brookfield, which financed the hotel project. The First Nation's own history page links the casino's opening in 1997 and the creation of the Baagwating Community Association with a period of economic growth for the community.

What we do not write about

We do not describe games, machines, odds, offers or loyalty programmes, and we never will. This site exists to help people plan a stay. If you visit the casino, set a limit before you go in, and if gambling stops being fun, help is free: ConnexOntario answers at 1-866-531-2600, 24 hours a day. Our responsible gambling page has more.