Not long ago, Starlight Casino New Westminster in British Columbia hosted a charity poker tournament to celebrate the opening of its brand-new poker room. The tourney saw a local firefighter emerge victorious, and a pickleball pro and former professional poker player formed the top three. But the three big winners were the charities each played for.
The gaming property is operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment, which is one of the leading operators of land-based gambling resorts in Canada with 31 sites in B.C., Ontario, and Alberta. Across its locations, it employs around 7,200 people while also offering to its numerous patrons 391 table games, 14,288 slot machines, 81 food and beverage outlets and 564 hotel rooms.
Celebrating Launch by Giving Back to Communities
To celebrate the launch of the new poker room at Starlight Casino New Westminster, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment organizes a special charity poker tournament. It took place on October 12, 2023, and some of the participants were including Mayor Patrick Johnstone, Coun. Ruby Campbell, athletes and actors, were all invited to play for a charity of their preference.
The manager of the casino, Vu Lam, commented that the tournament was an event of community, camaraderie, and good fun. In his words, the tourney celebrated the launch of the brand-new poker room, and invited some friendly competition among the guests, all to benefit local charities. He is now looking forward to having even more charity events in the future.
The tournament saw Mike Cameron, a local firefighter, claim the top spot, and he chose to donate his winnings of CA$1,500 to the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society. In second was, Steve Deakin, a pro pickleball player, who contributed his CA$1,000 to Last Door Recovery. Third, a former pro poker player, Matt Jarvis, won CA$500 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Other participants include New West councillor Ruby Campbell, Musqueam Indian Band Chief Wayne Sparrow, MMA fighter Gary Mangat, and actors Aaron Douglas, Ryan Robbins and Aleks Paunovic. Joel McCready, former National Lacrosse League player and New Westminster Sr. Salmonbellie and current senior director of lacrosse operations with Canucks Sports and Entertainment, and Chris Sabat, account executive with the BC Lions Football Club were also at the event.
Marking the First Anniversary of the Delta Site
Meanwhile, at the end of September 2023, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment celebrated another milestone in its gambling operations in B.C. The operator marked the first anniversary of the opening of its new Cascades Casino Delta in the province. For the festivities, the location held numerous promotions and discounts for its valued customers.
Launched on September 29, 2022, and located at located on 6005, BC-17A. I, the gaming site boasts a premium gaming floor of 500 slots, 18 table games and stadium-like gaming. In addition to top-notch gambling, it also offers the company’s signature MATCH Eatery & Public House and the Buffet amenities. It cost approximately CA$99.3 million to create and launch.
Source: McManus, Theresa “New West firefighter tops in a Starlight Casino’s charity poker tourney” New Westminster Record, November 23, 2023
