Pickering receives casino hosting revenue because the City has a Municipal Contribution Agreement with Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). The City describes the payments as non-tax gaming revenue tied to hosting Pickering Casino Resort.
The agreement is the starting point
The casino began operating in July 2021. According to the City of Pickering’s current casino-revenue page, its agreement with OLG is the mechanism through which hosting revenue reaches the municipality. That makes the money different from ordinary property-tax revenue: the City identifies it separately as non-tax gaming revenue.
The City reported a cumulative total of $65,008,832 received from OLG as of July 2025. That figure is historical, not a live total for September 2026, and should not be read as a forecast of future payments.
Hosting revenue is not the same as casino ownership
The payment relationship does not mean the City owns or operates the casino. Pickering Casino Resort appears in OLG’s official casino directory, while the City’s public page describes Pickering’s role as a host municipality receiving revenue through its agreement with OLG.
What happens after the City receives the money
The City’s page says casino revenue has supported both its Current and Capital Budgets. In practical terms, receiving the payment and deciding how municipal funds are budgeted are separate steps: the agreement explains why the money comes to Pickering, while the City’s public budget process determines how it is allocated.
The City also states that a portion is shared with the Region of Durham. A later installment in this series will examine that Ontario-first regional revenue-sharing arrangement and the public record describing it.
Why the distinction matters
Casino-hosting figures are sometimes described loosely as taxes, profit or a one-time windfall. Pickering’s own wording is more precise: these are non-tax gaming revenues received through a Municipal Contribution Agreement. Keeping that distinction clear makes it easier to follow the figures across municipal reports and budgets.
Official sources
- City of Pickering: Casino Revenues (verified September 28, 2026)
- OLG: Find a Casino (verified September 28, 2026; the queue’s former OLG land-based gaming URL now redirects here)
PickeringCasino.co is an independent publication and is not the official website of Pickering Casino Resort, Great Canadian Entertainment, OLG or the City of Pickering.