Elbow River Casino Review

Once more, we hit the streets of Calgary on the hunt for another great Alberta casino. Could Elbow River Casino be among the best?

Stick around as our experts provide first-hand insights and analysis of Elbow River Casino, including gaming options, dining experiences, and much more.

Elbow River Casino Ratings

Table of Contents

• Elbow River Casino Rating and Review Process
• Slot Machines – 5/5
• Casino Games – 4/5
• Staff & Service – 5/5
• Loyalty & Rewards – 4/5
• Casino Atmosphere – 3/5
• House Rules (T&Cs) – 4/5
• Player Feedback – 3.7/5
• Operator – 4/5
• Elbow River Casino Competitors
• Elbow River Casino Pros and Cons
• Enjoy a Classic Casino Experience at Elbow River Casino

Elbow River Casino Rating and Review Process

We use our tried-and-tested review system to rate land-based casinos in Canada. By providing first-hand insights and experiences, you’ll be equipped with all the tools to make an informed decision.

How we inspected Elbow River Casino

• Date of visit: 06/22/2024
• Time of visit: 4 PM – 12 AM
• Initial bankroll: C$100
• What we played: Slots, Roulette
• Final bankroll: C$120
• Next visit: 06/20/2025

What we looked at

Our review of Elbow River Casino is immensely thorough because we take an objective and subjective approach. For example, objectively, we check for specific game types while we subjectively assess the casino’s house rules.

What we found

Slot Machines – 5/5

Elbow River offers hundreds of slots, plenty of large jackpots, and an incredible amount of variety.

Slots we played at Elbow River Casino

First up, we played on a few classic Bally slots. We found a few branded slots and nailed some wins using the Hold & Win mechanic on Madonna. Naturally, we needed to have a shot at a major jackpot, so we closed our night playing Alberta Gold.

How many slot machines does Elbow River Casino have?

There are over 600 slot machines at Elbow River Casino.

Do the slot machines accept coins?

No, the machines only accept cash notes, Winner’s Edge cards, and casino vouchers.

Slot machine providers

• Aristocrat
• Incredible Technologies
• IGT
• Bally

Local progressive jackpots

The large slot collection features hundreds of games with multiple localized progressive jackpots.

Casino Games – 4/5

The casino has over 30 tables covering some of the biggest casino games including poker, blackjack, and roulette.

With so many tables, it is great to see several blackjack and roulette tables active on a busy night.

Game types

• Roulette
• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Poker
• Lucky Lucky
• Tile Pai Gow

Betting limits

Naturally, limits vary from game to game. Baccarat stakes range from C$5 to C$12,000, blackjack limits go up C$1,000, and inside bets on the roulette tables start range between C$1 and C$50.

Can anyone bet the highest limits or you need special VIP access?

Yes, the table limits are open to all players.

Elbow River Casino poker tournaments

The poker room features Limit Hold’em and Omaha games.

There are no tournaments running at the moment, but you can always join regular games.

Staff & Service – 5/5

Food & Drinks

There are a few dining options at Elbow River.

Jester’s Deli offers small handhelds, snacks, Chinese food, and the casino’s renowned fried chicken.

Sammy’s Sports Bar is the main dining option and provides Asian cuisine, rib specials, a breakfast menu, and classic casino items.

We ate at Sammy’s and felt it was a little expensive with an entrée costing between C$18 and C$27.

Opening times:

Sammy Sports Bar

• Breakfast: 9:30 AM-11 AM
• Regular and Asian Menu: 11 AM-12 AM
• Sports Bar: Closes at 2 AM

Jester’s Buffet

• Friday and Saturday: 5 PM – 9 PM
• Sunday: 11 AM – 2 PM

Jester’s Deli

• 9:30 AM – 2:30 AM

How much do you tip at Elbow River Casino?

You should tip between 15-20%, on average.

Does Elbow River Casino offer free drinks?

Yes, you can get complimentary drinks in the high limits room.

Is there a buffet at Elbow River Casino?

Yes, Jetser’s Buffet is available every Friday and Saturday night. You can also enjoy a brunch buffet on Sunday too.

Parking

Elbow Rivers Casino has a free, heated and secure underground parking lot with room for a little over 360 cars.

Should the lot be full, the nearest alternative parking lot is located directly opposite the casino, but it’ll cost C$6 an hour.

It is an unsecured lot, and you can pay via a machine or use the Indigo Neo app.

Accommodation

Elbow River Casino does not offer any of its own accommodation. There are plenty of options further up the road towards Downtown West End.

We stayed at the Ramada Plaza Wyndham Calgary, and it cost us C$130 for the night. C$120-200 seemed to be the price in the area when booking with a week’s notice.

Are there smoking areas?

It is a non-smoking facility, but you can smoke outside. We noticed a side door had been opened up for a short while for people to smoke too.

Security

The security members we interacted with were both polite and observant.

We were impressed to see the parking lot was secured and CCTV covered the casino floor.

Loyalty & Rewards – 4/5

How does the Elbow River Casino rewards program work?

As an Alberta casino, Elbow River Casino is part of the Winner’s Edge rewards system.

What you get

• Slot free play
• 10% selected dining discounts
• Exclusive draws & contests

How to register in the program

1. Go to Guest Services inside Elbow River Casino
2. Ask to join the Winner’s Edge rewards program
3. Complete the forms
4. Provide your photo ID
5. Collect your Winner’s Edge card

Casino Atmosphere – 3/5

Inside Elbow River Casino

Our experts examined the interior design and décor, explored the local scene, and checked out the alternative entertainment options.

Design experience

The casino feels very large with a fantastic open-plan design.

Are you allowed to take photos in Elbow River Casino?

Yes, but you can’t take photos of or film the live gaming tables.

Location and surroundings

The immediate area is mostly businesses – think, law firms, tattoo shops, and dentists – but you’re only 5-minutes from downtown Calgary.

Calgary is jam-packed full of retail, businesses, and great nightlife.

Do you need a passport to visit Elbow River Casino?

No, any form of government-issued photo ID should be acceptable. A passport is an excellent form of ID, if you haven’t got an alternative.

Events

You can enjoy regular live music at Elbow River Casino. Musicians routinely play every Friday and Saturday night, and it won’t cost you a thing. Expect cover bands playing top 40 hits and the occasional local independent artist.

There is also Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club offering ticketed comedy shows.

House Rules (T&Cs) – 4/5

When is Elbow River Casino open?

The casino is open from 9:30 AM to 3 AM every day. Except on Friday and Saturday, when the casino remains open until 4 AM.

Does Elbow River Casino charge entry?

No, entry into the casino is free.

Do you always need a reservation to play at Elbow River Casino?

No, you can just turn up and play any game that is available.

Is membership required at Elbow River Casino?

Membership is not required to play at Elbow River Casino.

Dress code

Elbow River Casino doesn’t have a strict dress code.

Standout rules at Elbow River Casino

The rules are all fairly standard at Elbow River Casino. We couldn’t find any standout rules.

Player Feedback – 3.7/5

Plenty of customers have had their say with over 1,700 reviews across Tripadvisor and Google.

Elbow River Casino player reviews

Google – 3.9/5

Numerous Google reviewers noted the exceptional quality of the food and entertainment but found the gaming tables to be a little dirty, and the table availability to be short on weekends.

Tripadvisor – 3.5/5

Reviews are fairly old on Tripadvisor – only one review since November 2019 – so some comments don’t reflect the casino currently. However, it was great to see so many positive comments about the service.

Most common issues

• Tables can get very busy on weekends
• Dated gaming tables

Operator – 4/5

Who owns Elbow River Casino?

Long-term owner Sam Switzer sold Elbow River Casino to private, local owners in 2012.

Contact info

Elbow River Casino Competitors

Calgary is full of casino choices, so you don’t have to venture far to check out the nearest competition. Naturally online casino sites in Canada are genuine competitors as well.

Elbow River Casino vs ACE Casino Blackfoot

The nearest casino to Elbow River Casino, ACE Casino Blackfoot is open 24 hours on weekends and features a wonderfully modern and premium high-limit room.

ACE Casino Blackfoot is best for all-night gaming

ACE Casino Blackfoot is the only casino in Calgary offering 24-hour gaming on weekends. That means you can all through the night if you’d like to.

Elbow River Casino vs Grey Eagle River Resort & Casino

Grey Eagle River Resort & Casino boasts 84,000 square feet of gaming including over 1,000 slots, 31 tables, and a six-table poker room.

Grey Eagle River Resort & Casino is the best alternative for major live music

This is a major event space, and the casino regularly hosts some seriously major music artists throughout each year.

You can see rockstars, rappers, pop starlets, and country legends at Grey Eagle River Resort & Casino.

What sets Elbow River Casino apart from its competitors?

Elbow River Casino is certainly more casual-friendly than many other casinos in Calgary.

The table limits are fair, it is not so big that it is overwhelming, and the casino atmosphere can feel less intense.

Elbow River Casino Pros and Cons

Pros

• Very accessible table limits for casual gaming
• Provides free, secure underground parking
• Hundreds of progressive jackpot slot games
• Wide variety of late-night dining options

Cons

• Gaming tables are getting a little dated
• No craps tables

Enjoy a Classic Casino Experience at Elbow River Casino

Elbow River Casino has something to offer serious and casual players alike.

The high baccarat table limits should please serious players while the hundreds of slots and numerous table games with low entry requirements should please everyone else.

We were impressed with the variety of dining options, although pricing can be a touch expensive.

The casino is a little dated now, but we still enjoyed a classic casino experience with a vibrant atmosphere.