Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has selected Caesars to remain as the operator of the Windsor casino for the next 20 years.

Caesars Entertainment Windsor Ltd. has operated the border destination for 17 years. The provincial government announced on Friday that the company has been selected to remain in that role following a competitive procurement process led by OLG which began in 2023.

Industry sources suggested last year that Bally’s Corporation and Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment had submitted bids to rival Caesars. Mohegan operates two casinos in Niagara Falls, Ont. 

The new agreement between OLG and Caesars is expected to take effect early next year. While Caesars will be responsible for the day-to-day gaming operations, OLG will continue to conduct and manage gaming at the site.

The Windsor casino was Ontario’s first commercial casino when it opened in 1994. It currently boasts more than 100,000 square feet of gaming space with more than 2,200 slot machines, 80-plus table games and a physical Caesars Sportsbook, as well as a resort with 750 hotel rooms, numerous restaurants and bars and the 5,000-seat Colosseum theater.

“We’re excited to continue to work with Caesars Entertainment Windsor Ltd., an iconic global brand in gaming entertainment, to build on the success of the Windsor casino and help ensure the long-term competitiveness of the Windsor gaming market,” said OLG CEO Duncan Hannay.

“We are thrilled to be selected as the service provider for the Windsor Casino by the OLG,” said Caesars CEO Tom Reeg. “Caesars has a long history of managing Windsor and looks forward to continuing to deliver exceptional guest service and experiences at the property.”

The OLG says it has contributed more than $53 million to the local community since 2018 through OLG’s Municipality Contribution Agreement.

Caesars Windsor a big tourist pull from US

Caesars Windsor President Kevin Laforet told local media that the renewed agreement is the casino’s “best bet to remain successful and be sustainable in this very, very competitive market.”

That was echoed by the OLG’s Chief Gaming Officer David Pridmore, who added that the extended relationship will help OLG “maintain our competitiveness in this very competitive gaming market.”

Caesars employs approximately 1,800 people in relation to the casino’s operations, making it one of the largest employers in the Windsor-Essex region. Nearly 1,500 of those employees are unionized members through Unifor Local 444. Last month, unionized workers at Caesars Windsor ratified a three-year collective agreement that includes a $4 raise over three years, improvements to benefits and among more.

“We are the No. 1 tourism driver in the region, 70,000 visitors each week, many coming from the U.S., coming from outside the community,” added Laforet. “We’ve always been amongst the largest employers in the area, one of the biggest purchases of local goods and services from local suppliers.”

“At a time when geopolitical tensions are threatening to disrupt our economy, this new agreement between OLG and Caesars brings stability and peace of mind for thousands of local workers in Windsor,” said Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Stan Cho. “Given its strong track record, intimate knowledge of the sector, and long-standing work in the community, our government is confident that Caesars will continue to serve Windsor and the surrounding area well for many years to come.”