On May 1, 2018, three casinos in this guide changed their names at once and became Elements casinos. A fourth West GTA site was renamed the same day, and it lies outside this guide's area.
The old names
Brantford's casino opened in 1999 under the name Brantford Charity Casino. It was later renamed OLG Casino Brantford. Readers who remember either older name are thinking of the same casino.
The other two took their names from racetracks. OLG Slots at Flamboro Downs was the gaming facility beside the Flamboro Downs track in Dundas, opened in 1999. OLG Slots at Grand River Raceway stood at the harness track in Elora. Effective May 1, 2018, all three dropped the OLG prefix and became Elements casinos. Each new name kept the place: Elements Casino Flamboro and Elements Casino Grand River.
Who bought the bundle
On May 1, 2018, Great Canadian Gaming and Clairvest completed their purchase of OLG's West GTA gaming bundle. They bought it through the Ontario Gaming West GTA Limited Partnership. Great Canadian held 55% and Clairvest 45%.
Effective that day, four West GTA facilities were renamed Elements casinos. Three are in this guide, and the fourth lies outside its area. Great Canadian took over management of the Brantford casino that month.
Ownership of the bundle did not take casino gaming away from the province. In Ontario, OLG conducts and manages all casino gaming. Private service providers run the casinos day to day under long-term operating agreements. The AGCO regulates and registers those operators. At Flamboro and Grand River, the operator is Great Canadian Entertainment.
What the shared name means now
The shared name brings one loyalty program. Great Canadian Rewards works at all three Elements casinos in this guide. Reward Points are earned on slots and electronic table games, not on live tables, and 100 points equal $1 in Slot Play. Points and Comp Dollars expire after six consecutive calendar months without recorded gaming activity.
Entry rules are shared too. Guests under 19 are refused entry, and anyone who looks under 30 is asked for ID. All three have a sports betting kiosk. Table minimums depend on the day's business needs and demand. Opening and closing times for tables can change as well.
Live table hours differ by casino. At Brantford, live tables run Sunday to Thursday 10 AM to 4 AM and Friday and Saturday 10 AM to 6 AM. Flamboro's live tables run Sunday to Thursday 11 AM to 1 AM and Friday and Saturday 11 AM to 3 AM, while the casino stays open 24/7. Grand River has electronic table games, such as roulette, baccarat, sic bo and blackjack, and the operator lists no live tables there. Holiday hours should be checked on each casino's own site.
Questions
Does one rewards card work at all three casinos?
Great Canadian Rewards is the loyalty program at all three Elements casinos in this guide. Points are earned on slots and electronic table games, not on live tables.
Did the casinos move when the names changed?
No move came with the new names: on May 1, 2018 the existing facilities were renamed. Elements Casino Brantford is at 40 Icomm Drive in Brantford. Flamboro is at 967 ON-5 in Dundas, and Grand River is at Grand River Raceway in Elora.
Who bought the three casinos in 2018?
On May 1, 2018, Great Canadian Gaming and Clairvest completed the purchase of OLG's West GTA bundle through the Ontario Gaming West GTA Limited Partnership, holding 55% and 45%. OLG conducts and manages casino gaming, and Great Canadian runs the casinos day to day. The Grand River track belongs to the Grand River Agricultural Society, a not-for-profit.