Delta’s council has approved proceeding with small adjustments to the city’s business license bylaw regarding Gateway Casinos & Entertainment’s Cascades Casino Delta. According to the current rules, if a gaming facility pursues a business license from the city without a specified fee in place, then the annual license fee would be a basic one for all non-specified businesses.
The fee is based on a sliding scale relative to the number of people participating in the business, starting at CA$110 for up to five people and reaching CA$985 for 51-to-100 people with an extra CA$205 for each additional 50 people. But the scale is hard to apply for a large business with more casino employees and there is a need to find a fee that is specific to a casino location.
Close to CA$7k Fee
In compliance with provincial protocols, business license fees must not be excessive, but should be enough to cover costs associated with the regulatory authority. Also, a gaming venue must pay property taxes and a 10% share of its net income with Delta. Calculating expected administration costs and a review of the business license fees points to a business license of CA$7,000.
In addition to that, each additional business operated on the site of the Delta casino also requires a separate license and associated fee. The council’s report also shared that the city urged Gateway Casinos to the suggested gambling location license fee. But to meet a Community Charter requirement, a notice will be delivered before bringing the bylaw back for the council’s last review.
Cascades Casino Delta boasts 160,000 square feet of entertainment space and it first launched in September 2022. It is located next to the interchange of highways 99 and 17A, and it offers over 500 slot machines, 18 table games, and stadium-style wagering. It is complemented by an adjoining hotel, which is operated by another company and not Gateway Casinos.
Celebrating First Anniversary
Just last month, the casino market had its first anniversary since officially starting the gambling business. Its first-anniversary celebration was on September 29, 2023, and in its first 12 months, the gambling and hospitality establishment has had a positive impact on the city, as transformed into a hotspot for gambling, dining, and entertainment.
As part of the birthday celebrations, the site offered many promotions and events for its valued patrons, including free-to-play credits, discounts on food for senior citizens, and more. In addition to that, for the occasion, employees of the gaming property also selected The Delta Community Foundation as the official beneficiary of the GatewayGIVES program, donating CA$1,000 to the organization.
According to the operator, in its first 12 months of work, the casino welcomed more than 627,688 guests on its premises. It has hosted 122 meetings and events at its contention space and has awarded CA$234,955 in cash and bonus prizes via promotions. In that time, it also sold 41,766 pints of beer at its Summit Bar and Match Eatery & Public House.
Source: Gyarmati, Sandor “City seeks right business licence for Cascades Casino Delta” Delta Optimist, October 24, 2023
