Lake City Casino

Introducing Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Limited

The Lake City Casino in Vernon is one of three under the same ownership in British Columbia. The other casinos are in Penticton and Kamloops. Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd own and operate those three casinos. They also run many other casinos covering British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.

This company started in 1992, operating a pair of casinos in the Vancouver area, before expanding to cover multiple provinces. The acquisition of the Lake City Casinos took place in 2002. Gateway now employs 8,200 people across Canada and features more than 14,000 slots across all their operated sites.

Slots at Lake City Casino, Vernon

There are 400 slot cabinets at this casino, including the perfect mix of both steppers/reels and interactive video slots with a range of bonus games. One thing that will immediately catch your eye when you enter Lake City Casino is the bank of B.C. Gold progressive jackpot machines. These are a series of games with a 2¢ stake that offer a province-wide progressive jackpot. The highest jackpot of all is the ‘Gold Jackpot’ which offers a lucky winner the chance to win a prize of between $100,000 and $200,000. The ‘Silver Jackpot’ is another province-wide pay, which will award a lucky winner between $500 and $1,500. Two local progressive jackpots are also offered, with the Nickel progressive prizes awarding up to $50 to a player at the Lake City Casino in Vernon, BC, and the Copper progressive worth up to $25.

Alongside the B.C. Gold progressive jackpots, you can also win a ‘Casino Cash Progressive’ at a bank of penny slots. The mega prize is worth between $750 and $1500, while the mini jackpot is worth between $250 and $500. As well as these regional progressive jackpot titles, there are hundreds of games from the leading international game creators. They include classics and the newest games. The slots are regularly updated with new releases.

Here are some examples of popular games at the time of writing:

• She’s a Rich Girl
• American Original
• Wicked Winnings Lair
• Bonus Times
• Game King Consoles (featuring multiple variations of Keno and Video Poker).

Table games at Lake City Casino in Vernon, BC

Table games can be played daily at this casino from 6pm until closing time. There are seven different games available. Three are different types of blackjack games – double deck blackjack, low limit blackjack and Kings Bounty blackjack (which features an optional side bet that pays based on the number of kings in your hand). Ultimate Texas Hold’em and Fast Action Poker are the two casino poker variations available. The final two games to be played are EZ-Baccarat and E-roulette, an electronic version of the classic roulette wheel game.

Players Club and Encore Rewards loyalty scheme

The loyalty scheme at the casino is the Players Club which uses the BC-wide Encore Rewards system. Signing up for the scheme is easy. You simply head to guest services with a form of a government-issued photo ID to join. All new members get $10 in free play to use on the slots.

This scheme tracks your play, allowing you to earn points at different rates depending on the game you are playing. For example, if you are playing the slots, you get 1 point for every $1 you wager, while if you are playing eRoulette, you’ll earn 4 points for every $5 wagered. Table gameplay is tracked manually. Your points are based on average bet, duration of play, and the specific game you are playing.

When you reach the total of 2,000 points, you can then redeem them for either $10 of free play at the slots or table games.

Additional benefits

As well as being able to redeem those points, there are many other benefits on offer. The scheme has four levels (single diamond, double diamond, triple diamond, and elite), and as move up through those levels (by earning more and more points), the benefits that come include:

• A free birthday gift (all levels)
• Personalized offers (all levels)
• Members only contests (all levels)
• Restaurant and lounge discounts (all levels) – 10% or 15% discounts can be had at Lake City Casino in Vernon.
• Increasing bonus accelerators (double diamond and higher levels)
• Exclusive upgrade packages (Elite level)

This Reward scheme covers many casinos in British Columbia. Players can earn points in any participating casino – and redeem them at whichever location they want to.

Dining options and buffet at Lake City Casino, Vernon,

There are three different dining options available at this casino:

• The Buffet: If you enjoy buffet-style dining, this is a perfect choice where you can find both lunch and dinner menus at a set price. The lunch option offers two daily soups, a ‘build your own salad’ bar, and a choice of eight different hot food items. The dinner menu offers an even wider range of hot food items. If you’ve signed up for the Encore rewards scheme you will get 10% off the bill. Seniors get an even bigger (25%) buffet discount.
• Match Eatery and Public House: Enjoy food and drink in what could be described as a cross between a traditional neighbourhood pub and a lively sports bar. The food menu offers a full range of food, featuring many classic dishes, many with a modern twist. Live music, DJ’s and sporting events take place or are shown in the bar, and you can head to the beautiful outdoor patio the warmer months.
• Grab and Go: Open from 10 a.m. daily, this is the place to go for a quick snack, a coffee, and a range of beverages.

Hotels near Lake City Casino, Vernon

While there is no on-site hotel at Lake City Casino, the owners recommend two hotels that are located nearby. The casino and hotels have got together to offer ‘stay and play’ style package. These are special room rates, which come with free credits to enjoy at the casino. The casinos are popular lower-priced international chains:

• Best Western Pacific Inn and Suites Vernon
• Holiday Inn Express and Suites

In summary – How does Lake City Casino in Vernon, BC Compare?

The Lake City Casino in Vernon is the perfect place for gamers in the Okanagan region. It attracts visitors from around British Columbia. This is a smaller casino compared to the giants in Vancouver and Victoria – though it does offer a quality list of slots and all the most popular table games.

Regional progressive jackpots can be won for small stakes – including the popular BC Gold jackpots. The slots cover all the bases. New slot releases from Aristocrat, IGT and other big-name producers can be found alongside classic 3-reel electro-mechanical games. Table games cover the classics. There is blackjack, casino poker style games and roulette options available.

All the time you are playing at the casino you can be earning those all-important Encore reward points which can be redeemed for free play – and who knows, maybe a jackpot win?