A first evening on the island
Nanaimo Casino Online, First Evening
Nanaimo First Night is an independent concierge guide to Casino Nanaimo at 620 Terminal Ave, downtown, and it is not the casino itself. The three tools below check your ID, find your game and set a budget for the night with your own numbers.
By the First Night deskChecked October 14, 2026
First things first
620 Terminal Ave, downtown Nanaimo · 250-753-3033
Step one
Photo ID at the door
The gambling age in British Columbia is 19, and no one under that age may go into a gambling venue. Since June 26, 2023, every person coming into a B.C. casino presents government-issued photo ID at the door. Security staff scan the ID and compare it with the list of people barred from entry, for example people signed up for Game Break. For anyone allowed inside, the system retains no personal information.
If you have just come off a ferry, keep that card within reach. The check below names which cards count, from a B.C. driver's licence or passport to a First Nations band card.
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Three panels at the door
- You
- The scan
- Verdict
Everyone shows government-issued photo ID at the door; 19 and older only. Cards on BC's list:
- B.C. driver's licence
- Driver's licence from elsewhere in North America
- B.C. Identity Card (BCID)
- B.C. Services Card
- Passport, Canadian or international
- Canadian citizenship card
- Canadian permanent resident card
- Secure Certificate of Indian Status card
- Canadian identity card from Global Affairs Canada
- First Nations, Métis or Inuit band membership card
- Government-issued photo ID from another country
Anyone who enters a B.C. casino must present government-issued photo ID; security scans it and compares it with the list of people not allowed in, such as Game Break enrollees. Nothing personal is kept for those who are admitted. Not sure about a card? Call 250-753-3033.
Step two
Four kinds of play
More than 400 slot machines fill the floor. They take multi-denomination bets, meaning one machine accepts several bet sizes, so a spin can cost as little as one cent.
A live table means a human dealer runs the game at a physical table. Four are dealt at Casino Nanaimo: Ultimate Texas Hold'em, RUYI Baccarat, Free Bet Blackjack and Kings Bounty Blackjack. From noon, the Action Arena hosts the electronic tables, where a machine handles the game instead of a dealer. Its lineup is $1 Roulette, $2 Blackjack and $5 Baccarat.
Only one game is dealt in the poker room: $1/$3 No Limit Texas Hold'em. Under No Limit, a player can wager every chip they have on the table at any turn. Anyone hoping for craps, keno or a sportsbook will not find them on the game lists.
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Which game, where and when
Pick a game above to see where it sits, what it costs to sit down and when it runs.
| Game | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | Casino floor | Over 400 machines with multi-denomination bets, starting at one cent per pull. Hours: Sunday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.. |
| Blackjack | Live tables and the Action Arena | Live: Kings Bounty Blackjack and Free Bet Blackjack. Electronic: $2 Blackjack in the Action Arena, plus Fusion Blackjack on BCLC's list. Hours: Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight. |
| Baccarat | Live tables and the Action Arena | Live: RUYI Baccarat. Electronic: $5 Baccarat in the Action Arena. Hours: Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight. |
| Roulette | Action Arena only | Electronic only: the Action Arena has $1 Roulette. There is no live roulette wheel listed. Hours: opens at noon every day; no closing time is posted. |
| Ultimate Texas Hold'em | Live tables | A live table game where you play the dealer, not the other players. Hours: Monday to Thursday 4 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight. |
| Poker room | Poker room | $1/$3 No Limit Texas Hold'em, buy-in from $100 to $400. Seats go through the waitlist at Guest Services. Hours: Monday to Thursday 5 p.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday noon to 2 a.m.; Sunday noon to midnight. |
| Craps | Not on the floor | Not on the casino's game list or BCLC's. |
| Keno | Not on the floor | Not on the casino's game list or BCLC's. |
| Sports betting | Not on the floor | No sportsbook on the casino's list or BCLC's. |
| Bingo hall | Not on the floor | No bingo hall on either list. |
Poker room
How poker seats work
Poker seats go through a waitlist, a list of names waiting for a seat. You can add your name in person at Guest Services, which comes ahead of phone sign-ups, or call 250-753-3033. Either way, you must already be inside the casino. A player paged three times who does not show is taken off the list automatically.
The buy-in, the amount you exchange for chips when you sit down, is $100 to $400. Poker runs Monday to Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from noon to 2 a.m., and Sunday from noon to midnight.
The clock
What opens when
All times here are Pacific time; British Columbia has kept the same clock all year since March 8, 2026. The doors open at 10 a.m. every day, and so does The Well Public House, the casino's pub. The Action Arena follows at noon. Live tables open at 4 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and at 11 a.m. from Friday to Sunday.
From Monday to Thursday poker begins at 5 p.m.; from Friday to Sunday it begins at noon. Sunday to Thursday, the doors shut at 1 a.m., but live tables, poker and The Well finish at midnight. Friday and Saturday, everything runs until 2 a.m. No closing time is posted for the Action Arena. Because the casino does not publish holiday hours, phone 250-753-3033 ahead of a holiday visit.
Posted hours · Pacific time
What opens when
Monday to Thursday
- Doors and slots10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- The Well Public House10 a.m. to midnight
- Action Arenafrom noon, closing not posted
- Live tables4 p.m. to midnight
- Poker room5 p.m. to midnight
Friday and Saturday
- Doors and slots10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- The Well Public House10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Action Arenafrom noon, closing not posted
- Live tables11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Poker roomnoon to 2 a.m.
Sunday
- Doors and slots10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- The Well Public House10 a.m. to midnight
- Action Arenafrom noon, closing not posted
- Live tables11 a.m. to midnight
- Poker roomnoon to midnight
The Action Arena opens at noon every day; no closing time is posted, so its bar runs to the doors' closing with an open end.
Getting there
Reaching 620 Terminal Ave
Casino Nanaimo sits downtown at 620 Terminal Ave, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5E2. Arriving by bus, you are close: Bay D of the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange lies some 240 m from the door in a straight line. The stop at Victoria Cres at Albert St is nearer still, around 150 m, with routes 1 Nanaimo Rapid Line, 5, 6, 20, 20A, 30 and 72. Front St at Museum Way is the third option, roughly 180 m off.
Arriving directly from the ferry, Departure Bay sits 3.3 km from the casino as the crow flies, and transit to downtown runs often. Duke Point, across the harbour, is 3.2 km away, though the drive from there is longer than the straight line. With no public transit there, foot passengers rely on a taxi, a rideshare or a pickup. See bcferries.com for ferry times. The casino offers free parking, but it has no hotel and no shuttle.
- about 150 mVictoria Cres at Albert Stroutes 1, 5, 6, 20, 20A, 30, 72
- about 180 mFront St at Museum Waybus stop
- about 240 mDowntown Nanaimo Exchange, Bay Dbus exchange
- 3.2 kmDuke Point ferry terminalstraight line; no transit there
- 3.3 kmDeparture Bay ferry terminalstraight line; frequent transit
Step three
Between games
Taking a break from the games is simple. The casino's pub, The Well Public House, serves pub food from breakfast until late at night. Its doors open at 10 a.m. daily. It closes at midnight Sunday to Thursday and at 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Complimentary coffee is offered, and the casino has a GameSense Info Centre on site. Encore Rewards, the players club, is free to join at Guest Services if it interests you. The tiers run from Single Diamond through Double Diamond and Triple Diamond to Elite and VIP.
Only your own numbers · nothing is saved
The evening as a row of tickets
Divide the money you set aside by the hours you plan to stay; that is the most to spend in any one hour. Take a break away from the floor every hour. The doors close at 1 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and at 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The planner never suggests an amount. Coffee is complimentary, and a GameSense Advisor is on site.
Online in BC
Gambling online from BC
In British Columbia, playing online for money is limited to adults aged 19 or over, matching the age checked at the casino door. Within the province, the sole legal online gambling site is PlayNow.com, which BCLC operates. The Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) has overseen BC gambling since April 13, 2026.
The IGCO stated on August 28, 2026, that any other online gambling site accepting BC players is operating illegally in the province. BC residents who play on a private online casino receive no provincial protections there: neither Game Break nor PlayNow limits apply, and the IGCO cannot take their complaints. Casino Nanaimo does not offer an online gaming app, and it has cautioned the public about fake ads for apps that carry its name.
Help
Support, day or night
- Gambling Support BC answers 1-888-795-6111 around the clock, free for any BC resident, including anyone worried about someone else's gambling.
- Inside the casino, a GameSense Advisor is available, and the GameSense Info Centre is on site.
- With Game Break, BCLC's voluntary self-exclusion program, a person can pick a term of 3 years, 2 years, 1 year or 6 months, covering BC casinos, gaming centres, bingo halls and PlayNow.com.
Questions
Ask the desk
The desk answers from the facts checked for this guide. Tap a question to open the answer.
Which ID should I bring to get through the door?
You must be 19 or older, and everyone shows government-issued photo ID at the door. Accepted cards include a BC driver's licence or one from elsewhere in North America, the BCID and the BC Services Card. A Canadian or international passport, a permanent resident card or government-issued photo ID from another country also works.
Can I play blackjack at noon on a Wednesday?
Yes, in the Action Arena, which opens at noon every day and has $2 Blackjack on electronic tables. Those are machine-run versions of table games. Live tables, where a dealer runs the game, open at 4 p.m. from Monday to Thursday.
How are poker seats handed out?
Through a waitlist, a queue for the next open seat. Add your name in person at Guest Services, which takes priority over phone requests, or call 250-753-3033 from inside the casino. A player paged three times who does not show is taken off the list.
Do I pay to leave the car while I play?
No, parking at the casino is free.
When do the doors close on a Saturday night?
At 2 a.m., the same as Friday. From Sunday to Thursday, closing is at 1 a.m. Holiday hours are not published, so call 250-753-3033.