A guide for the harbour city
Nanaimo Casino Online: a Harbour Chart
The Nanaimo Casino Chart is an independent guide to Casino Nanaimo at 620 Terminal Ave, downtown, a short way from the harbour. The first tool below lists the places that are open at any chosen hour.
By the Chart editorsChecked October 10, 2026
What is lit at this hour
Pacific time · open closed close not posted
- Casino floor and slotsSunday to Thursday 10 am to 1 am; Friday and Saturday 10 am to 2 am
- Live table gamesMonday to Thursday 4 pm to midnight; Friday and Saturday 11 am to 2 am; Sunday 11 am to midnight
- Electronic tables (Action Arena)from noon every day; closing time not posted
- Poker roomMonday to Thursday 5 pm to midnight; Friday and Saturday noon to 2 am; Sunday noon to midnight
- The Well Public HouseMonday to Thursday 10 am to midnight; Friday and Saturday 10 am to 2 am; Sunday 10 am to midnight
Hours as the casino posts them; holiday hours are not published.
Where the casino sits
Casino Nanaimo is at 620 Terminal Ave, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5E2, in downtown Nanaimo. The building sits beside the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange, which BC Transit runs. From Sunday to Thursday, hours run from 10 AM to 1 AM; on Friday and Saturday, from 10 AM to 2 AM. These are Pacific time, which British Columbia keeps all year since March 8, 2026. Holiday hours are not published, so check them on casinonanaimo.com.
Since January 16, 2025, the casino has been owned by Snuneymuxw First Nation through Petroglyph Development Group (PDG), the Nation's economic development arm. The Nation is PDG's sole shareholder. Lahal Casino Management LP, PDG's casino management arm, runs the casino.
What is on the floor
The floor has over 400 slot machines. Every machine accepts several bet sizes, the smallest being one cent per pull. Live tables, meaning games a dealer runs at a physical table, open from 4 PM to 12 AM, Monday to Thursday. Sunday hours are 11 AM to 12 AM, and Friday and Saturday hours are 11 AM to 2 AM. The live games are Kings Bounty Blackjack, Free Bet Blackjack, RUYI Baccarat and Ultimate Texas Hold'em.
The Action Arena holds electronic table games, played on screens instead of with a dealer. It opens at 12 PM daily with $1 Roulette, $2 Blackjack and $5 Baccarat. The casino does not post a closing time for it. Roulette is on screens only. Craps is on neither the casino's list nor BCLC's.
Is that game on the floor?
Pick a game · see where and when
Slot machines: yes, Casino floor
Over 400 machines, multi-denomination, from one cent per pull. BCLC lists Powerbucks, BC Gold, Race to Win and Dynamic Dollars.
The poker room
The poker room deals $1/$3 No Limit Texas Hold'em. A buy-in is the amount a player brings to the table to start; here it is at least $100 and at most $400. Games run Monday to Thursday 5 PM to 12 AM, and Friday and Saturday 12 PM to 2 AM. On Sunday they run 12 PM to 12 AM. To get a seat, a player goes on the waitlist at Guest Services, where in-person names take priority, or calls 250-753-3033 from inside the casino.
Arriving by ferry
Nanaimo has two BC Ferries terminals. Departure Bay, at 680 Trans Canada Hwy, is a 5 minute drive north of the city centre. Its sailings go to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, a crossing of 1 h 42 min. The terminal has frequent transit connections to downtown Nanaimo. In a straight line, it is 3.3 km from the casino.
Duke Point sits across the harbour and takes sailings from Tsawwassen, a crossing of 2 h 0 min. It has no public transit, so foot passengers arrange a taxi, a rideshare or a private pickup. The straight line to the casino measures 3.2 km, and any road route covers more distance. Schedules and fares change, so they are on bcferries.com rather than here. The tool below lays out each way in.
Plot the way in
From a terminal or a stop to 620 Terminal Ave
- Departure Bay terminal is at 680 Trans Canada Hwy, a 5 minute drive north of the city centre.
- The terminal has frequent transit connections to downtown Nanaimo.
- Downtown, the casino stands next to the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange; Bay D is about 240 m from the door.
- Bring government-issued photo ID: it is scanned at the entrance.
The Island around
Distances from Casino Nanaimo are straight lines between map points. Ladysmith is 21 km away, Parksville 32 km, Duncan 46 km and Port Alberni 64 km. Victoria lies 92 km away, and Courtenay 96 km. Any road route is longer than these lines.
Parking at the casino is free. Bay D of the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange is about 240 m away, and two stops are nearer. Victoria Cres at Albert St is about 150 m away, with routes 1 Nanaimo Rapid Line, 5, 6, 20, 20A, 30 and 72. Front St at Museum Way is about 180 m away. The casino has no hotel and no shuttle.
How far by line
Straight line from a town · route by road and ferry
32 km
Parksville to Casino Nanaimo, measured as a straight line. Roads cover more distance.
| Town | Straight line | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Lantzville | 14 km | Google Maps |
| Ladysmith | 21 km | Google Maps |
| Chemainus | 31 km | Google Maps |
| Parksville | 32 km | Google Maps |
| Qualicum Beach | 42 km | Google Maps |
| Duncan | 46 km | Google Maps |
| Vancouver | 61 km | Google Maps |
| Port Alberni | 64 km | Google Maps |
| Comox | 91 km | Google Maps |
| Victoria | 92 km | Google Maps |
| Courtenay | 96 km | Google Maps |
| Campbell River | 134 km | Google Maps |
| Tofino | 143 km | Google Maps |
The Well and The Loft
The Well Public House is the casino's pub, serving pub fare from breakfast to late night. Its hours are 10 AM to 12 AM Monday to Thursday, 10 AM to 2 AM Friday and Saturday, and 10 AM to 12 AM Sunday. The casino also offers complimentary coffee. The Loft, a private event room of over 1,400 square feet for up to 49 guests, is booked at 1-250-753-3033. The casino's events page lists weekly entertainment at The Well, open only to guests aged 19 or older who show government-issued photo ID.
Getting in
Nobody under 19 may come in; every guest must be at least 19. Every visitor shows a government-issued photo ID when arriving. Security staff scan the ID for names on a no-entry list, such as people in Game Break, BCLC's self-exclusion program.
Accepted forms of ID cover a North American or B.C. driver's licence, a passport, or a Canadian citizenship or permanent resident card. The BC Services Card or BCID, a Secure Certificate of Indian Status, and First Nations, Metis or Inuit band membership cards also work. Encore Rewards, the casino's players club, is joined at Guest Services.
Online play in BC
In British Columbia, the one lawful website for online gambling is PlayNow.com, which BCLC runs. Oversight of BC gambling has belonged to the Independent Gambling Control Office (IGCO) from April 13, 2026. Casino Nanaimo says it has no online gaming app and has warned about fake app ads using its name.
None of the home page links labelled Ad lead to PlayNow.com; their target is a private online casino, the guide's partner. The IGCO announced on August 28, 2026, that online gambling sites taking BC players, other than PlayNow.com, are illegal in the province. A BC resident on such a site has none of the provincial protections. Game Break and PlayNow limits have no effect there, and the IGCO does not accept complaints about it. A commission goes from the partner to the guide.
Where to find help
- Any BC resident can call Gambling Support BC at 1-888-795-6111, 24/7 and free of charge, and so can those hurt by the gambling of someone close.
- Game Break, from BCLC, is voluntary self-exclusion for 3 years, 2 years, 1 year or 6 months; a chosen term is final.
- On site, Casino Nanaimo offers a GameSense Info Centre, and every BC casino has a GameSense Advisor available.
Questions from the dock
How late is Casino Nanaimo open on Saturday?
On Friday and Saturday, opening hours run from 10 AM to 2 AM, Pacific time. Hours for holidays are not posted, so check casinonanaimo.com for them.
When do the live tables open on Monday?
Monday to Thursday, the live tables operate from 4 PM until 12 AM. The start moves to 11 AM on Friday and Saturday. The Action Arena, with electronic tables, opens at 12 PM daily.
How far is Departure Bay from the casino?
Measured as a straight line, Casino Nanaimo sits 3.3 km from Departure Bay terminal. By road, the trip is longer than that. The terminal is a 5 minute drive north of the city centre.
Is parking free at the casino?
Yes, parking at Casino Nanaimo is free. The casino does not say whether it is a lot or a garage. Height limits, EV charging and RV parking are not published either.
How old must guests be?
Gambling in British Columbia starts at 19, so every guest must have reached that age. Each person coming in presents government-issued photo ID, and security staff scan it at the entrance.