Caesars Entertainment’s operating license at Caesars Windsor will end in 2025, prompting the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) to commence a competitive bidding process. The OLG has launched a Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ) to start the process of selecting the casino’s next operator.
Duncan Hannay, President and CEO of the OLG, stated that the RFPQ is the initial step in supporting the prolonged vibrancy and thrill of the casino experience in Ontario. According to him, the aim is to identify a suitable operator that will preserve the casino’s long-term competitiveness while still generating profits for the local community and the province.
Interested firms must demonstrate to the OLG that they have experience managing large casino resorts similar to Caesars Windsor. Those that qualify for the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase of the process will be presented with documents and information outlining the opportunity and the information sought by the government in a proposal.
Caesars Windsor is located near Detroit, offering 750 hotel rooms and 2,230 slot machines, 85 table games, and a Caesars Sportsbook. The resort also features six restaurants and four bars, along with the 5,000-seat Colosseum theater.
The OLG is a Crown corporation owned by the Ontario government, created in 1975 with the purpose of using lotteries and gaming to produce provincial tax revenue. It is partnered with both public and private companies to manage its locations. Caesars Entertainment, the presumed front-runner in the competitive bid, has been running the Windsor casino since it opened in 1994.
The OLG’s brick-and-mortar casinos include 28 locations. The gaming partners must share a portion of the gaming proceeds with the government, most of which is allocated back to the host community. The City of Windsor gained a little over $2 million from Caesars Windsor in the fourth quarter of 2022, and more than $80.3 million since its opening.
