Casino hosting fees mean big bucks for Ontario communities

First quarter hosting payments for Durham Region’s three casinos totalled nearly $6.9 million after the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) doled out cash this week to the City of Pickering, the Town of Ajax and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

The payments, for hosting Pickering Casino, Ajax Casino and Great Blue Heron Casino, were for the April 1 to June 30 period, the first quarter in OLG’s fiscal year.

The bulk of the payments were awarded to the City of Pickering for hosting rights to Pickering Casino – by far the largest casino in the region – with the city receiving $5,572,326.

Since the gaming site opened in July 2021 Pickering has received $81,165,889.

The Town of Ajax received $990,549 in first quarter payments, bringing the total since Ajax Casino – the oldest casino in the region – opened in February 2006 to $115,705,348.

“Revenues from OLG’s Municipality Contribution Agreement allow Ajax to invest in infrastructure and provide funding for critical community services,” said Whitby MPP Lorne Coe. “Provincial revenues from Casino Ajax will help improve the quality of life for families across Ontario.”

The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation was awarded $692,959 for hosting Great Blue Heron Casino, boosting their total since the casino opened in May 2000 to $39,449,315.

Since 1994, host communities have received more than $2.4 billion in non-tax gaming revenue.

These payments to host communities are based on a formula consistently applied across all gaming sites in Ontario using a graduated scale of gaming revenue at the hosted site.

Payments to host communities are part of OLG’s commitment to the province, which includes reinvesting 100 per cent of profits back into the communities.

Over the past ten years, service providers have invested more than $3 billion in private sector capital investment across the province. These investments have led to the development and opening of seven new casinos, two large-scale resort developments and expansions, many gaming floor expansions and new non-gaming amenities.