The time has arrived for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation to send out its latest quarterly gambling payments to host communities across Ontario. As a hotspot for tourists, Niagara Falls is again one of the larger beneficiaries as it received over CA$5 million for the second quarter of 2023-2024. It applies to the period from July 1, 2023, through September 30, 2023.
OLG is responsible for offering gambling, lottery, internet gaming, bingo, and other related gambling products at charitable gaming centres in the Province of Ontario. The Crown has an agreement in place with communities that host its gambling locations to share a portion of their revenue each financial quarter based on a predetermined formula.
Niagara Falls Collects over CA$5M
Niagara Falls currently hosts two of OLG’s casinos – Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara. For the second quarter of 2023-2024, the city has bagged a total payment of CA$5,387,008 for being host to the properties. Since the start of the current fiscal year on April 1, 2023, the city has received an allocation of just over CA$11.7 million.
Casino Niagara first opened its door on December 9, 1996, on the land of the former Maple Leaf Village amusement park, and since then the two casinos have delivered CA$206,677,161 to the city’s coffers. Meanwhile, Fallsview Casino Resort kicked off work on June 10, 2004, and it was initially planned to replace the other, but it was kept due to both being economic engines.
Despite OLG owning all casinos in the Heartland Province, back in 2019, the day-to-day operations of both Niagara Falls casinos were given to Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment. The operator is an affiliate of the Mohegan Tribe and owner of Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, and which struck a 21-year agreement with OLG. The casinos became the first Canadian ones in its portfolio.
A while back, Ontario Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy stated that OLG continues to be a proud partner in hosting gaming communities. In his wording, allocations from the Municipality Contribution Agreement help municipalities fund initiatives such as community infrastructure, parks and recreations, as well as local healthcare, benefits to families and residents.
Other Host Communities Also Reap the Rewards
Earlier this year, OLG handed a cheque worth CA$1.45 million to the City of Sault Ste. Marie for hosting another one of its gaming amenities – Gateway Casinos Sault Ste. Marie. This was the city’s share of gaming revenue from slots and live table games for the whole 2022-23 fiscal year. At the time the city had accumulated over CA$34 million for being a host community.
Meanwhile, in May 2023, the City of Greater Sudbury demonstrated its appreciation towards OLG for sharing its gambling revenue with the municipality. At a special cheque presentation event at Tom Davies Square, the city received almost CA$1.93 million for hosting Gateway Casinos Sudbury. This was for the fiscal year of April 1, 2022, through March 31, 2023.
Source: Redmond, Don “Jackpot! More than $5 million to Niagara Falls for hosting two casinos” InNiagaraRegion, October 18, 2023
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