The Northern Lights Casino aims to be one of the premier entertainment destinations in Western Canada. Located in Prince Albert, otherwise known as “The Gateway to the North,” this casino has won several province-wide awards. Numerous renovations have expanded the venue — adding both gambling and entertainment facilities.
The casino is part of the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) group, one of seven casinos under its umbrella. It is open from 10 a.m. daily, and is open until 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
On the 46,000-square-foot casino floor, you will find almost 600 slot machines. In addition, players can enjoy a series of table games featuring both live games and the chance to try out “The Circuit.”
This guide covers the Northern Lights Casino in Saskatchewan in depth, including its history and a detailed look at all of its gambling options: slots, traditional table games and electronic options.
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History of the Northern Lights Casino
This Saskatchewan-based casino opened its doors in 1996. In the quarter of a century since that opening, Northern Lights has undergone renovation after renovation — each project ensuring the casino stays ahead of the gambling and entertainment curve. The largest of the expansions came in 2011 and included a smoking room and 4,500 more square feet of space. This allowed for an additional 200 slots.
The casino is one of the largest employers in Prince Albert, with over 400 employees.
Slots at the Northern Lights Casino Saskatchewan
There are almost 600 slots at the Northern Lights Casino in Prince Albert, SK. Two hundred and nine of these are located in the section that allows smoking, with the rest in a smoke-free room. This selection is big enough to include a mix of reel and video slots. There are classics and popular ranges of games like Quick Hits and Buffalo, plus the newest titles from major producers.
All SIGA casinos feature progressive jackpots that “must pay” before they reach set levels.
The biggest is the Smoke Signals progressive. This jackpot starts of at a life-changing $1 million and grows from there. What makes this jackpot different is that it is programmed to pay out before it reaches $2 million. The smaller Raider Nation works in a similar way. This progressive jackpot starts at $50,000 and must pay out before it hits $100,000.
There are multiple jackpots and bonus prizes associated with individual games. Northern Lights Casino updates its slot range frequently, with some of the newest games in the world hitting the casino floor. SIGA ensures that many of the most popular slot machines are available at its casinos. The slots range at this casino includes Chili Chili Fire, Golden Egypt, King of Macedonia and the zombie-filled Walking Dead II.
Table games at Northern Lights Casino
Table games are available between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. Sundays through to Wednesdays and from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays to Saturdays. There are only two live games, with several other formats in electronic form:
- Blackjack: The most popular casino table game worldwide is an obvious choice at Northern Lights for one of its tables. Here you aim to beat the dealer by getting closer to 21 or having a live hand when the dealer busts.
- Crazy 4 Poker: This casino poker variation pits you against the dealer in a game that uses poker hand ranks based on the best four-card combination from a five-card hand.
Electronic table games at The Circuit
For electronic versions of the most popular table games, you can head to The Circuit. This allows you to enjoy blackjack games, baccarat, roulette and Three Card Poker via a high-tech electronic system. With a minimum stake of just $2, you can take your seat with a number of other players. This format — which is available in all the SIGA casinos in Saskatchewan — has a dealer/host to ensure that the games run smoothly.
The Players Club loyalty program
The loyalty program at the Northern Lights Casino is called the Players Club. The same program is in place across all the SIGA casinos in Saskatchewan. This means you can earn points at one of the casinos and redeem them at another.
There is an incentive to sign up — new members get $10 in free slot play.
After that, you get rewards based on your play. Simply insert your card into the machine to track what you have. You receive one point for every $1 in stakes. Rewards start when you reach 5,000 points — with $5 in cash back awarded for every 5K in points.
Here are the highlights of Player’s Club rewards:
- Access to the Rewards Centres for special offers and draws.
- Entry into member-only free draws and promotions.
- 10% off dining at the restaurants.
- Discounts at preferred hotels.
- Invitation to member-only entertainment events.
- Advance purchases on entertainment, as well as 10% off selected events.
Casino promotions
There are many other individual promotions linked to the Players Club. They make it worth signing up for a card even if you are only visiting once.
Examples include the chance to win triple points when playing at the casino on a Monday or Tuesday before 3 p.m. You can also earn the chance to be entered into prize draws as long as you earn enough loyalty points. Hourly prize draws are held on Wednesdays, along with a horse racing-based promotion each Sunday. You can also win additional loyalty points or free slot play when you head to Northern Lights Casino at any time during your birthday month.
Dining options at Northern Lights Casino
There are three dining options when you head to the Northern Lights Casino:
- North Star Restaurant: This is the main restaurant at Northern Lights. It is open daily between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. An extensive menu features many classic dishes such as a steak sandwich, fish and chips and a Caesar salad. Starters and sides include chicken wings and dry ribs. Check out the two signature dishes in the North Star club sandwich and the SIGA burger.
- Charley Biggs Chicken: Open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, this is the place where you can enjoy your fast-food style chicken. Pick up chicken combos and chicken finger combos, along with potato salad and potato wedges as sides.
- The Deli: With the same opening hours as Charley Biggs Chicken, this is the place for you to pick up lighter snacks. The menu offers something for nearly everyone: pie, hot dogs, pizza, a stir fry/noodle bar and soup with a roll. Perfect for a quick snack before you head back to the tables/slots.
Other Casinos in Saskatchewan
How does Northern Lights Casino compare?
The Northern Lights Casino is one of the larger venues in Saskatchewan, offering a wider range of games than the other casinos in the SIGA group. With nearly 600 slots to play, there likely is something to appeal to most patrons. These games cover a range of stakes, with the chance to win life-changing progressive jackpots and to try some of the newest games in the industry.
There are a mix of table games at Northern Lights, too, with both standard live games and the innovative experience of The Circuit.
All the time you play you can earn those loyalty points, with the Players Club going further in terms of prizes than many other similar programs. When you are taking a break from the tables, grab some great food on the go, or make yourself comfortable at the North Star Restaurant.