Quick facts
- Location
- Île Notre-Dame, Metro Jean-Drapeau
- Open
- 24/7 (casino floor)
- Entry
- Free (18+)
- Dress code
- Smart casual
Casino de Montréal occupies one of the most dramatic settings of any casino in North America — the former French Pavilion from Expo 67, a modernist architectural landmark on Île Notre-Dame in the St. Lawrence River. The building’s geometric white shells, designed by architect Jean Faugeron, were considered visionary in 1967 and remain one of the more beautiful structures in the Montreal cityscape. That the building now houses Quebec’s largest casino is either an irony or a tribute to the province’s pragmatic approach to revenue generation, depending on your perspective.
The casino operates under the Loto-Québec provincial authority and draws around 6 million visitors annually — not all of them gamblers. The complex has evolved into a dining and entertainment destination with multiple restaurants, regular live shows, and the appeal of the island setting itself.
The casino floor
Casino de Montréal has approximately 3,200 slot machines and 120 gaming tables spread across five interconnected buildings — including the original French Pavilion and the former Quebec Pavilion from Expo 67.
Table games include blackjack (most popular), baccarat, roulette, poker (Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker), and craps. Minimum bets on table games typically start at CAD 5–10 for standard tables and rise to CAD 50–200 for premium tables on weekend evenings.
Slot machines range from CAD 0.01 per line to CAD 100 per spin on premium machines. Video poker machines are scattered throughout the slot areas.
Poker room: The casino has a dedicated poker room with cash games at various stakes and regular tournament schedules. The room hosts major poker events throughout the year, including the World Poker Tour stopping events.
Live keno and sports betting are available alongside the standard floor offerings.
Restaurants and dining
The casino complex has multiple dining options ranging from casual to upscale:
Nuances (fine dining): The casino’s flagship restaurant is one of the more celebrated fine dining rooms in Montreal — formal service, an extensive wine cellar, and a Quebec-focused tasting menu that uses regional ingredients through a classical French technique. It has held AAA Four Diamond status consistently. Reservations essential.
Le Baccara (steakhouse): A more accessible upscale option focused on prime beef cuts and Quebec seafood. The room has excellent views over the St. Lawrence.
La Bonne Carte (buffet): The casino buffet serves international cuisine at moderate prices and is popular for pre-gaming meals. Quality varies but the selection is extensive.
L’Instant (café): Quick service café for drinks and light meals, operating extended hours to match the casino floor schedule.
The island setting means that most visitors arrive by Metro and eat within the complex — but the restaurants are priced and operated to be genuine dining destinations rather than purely functional casino catering.
Entertainment and shows
The Casino de Montréal maintains an active entertainment calendar at its performance space (approximately 800 capacity), with shows ranging from tribute concerts to comedy evenings to cirque-style performances. The programming skews toward mainstream entertainment and is often in French, though English-language shows and bilingual programming are scheduled regularly.
During special events — poker tournaments, New Year’s Eve galas, themed parties — the casino transforms more significantly and tickets for these events are priced accordingly.
Getting there
By Metro: The Jean-Drapeau Metro station (Yellow Line) serves Île Sainte-Hélène, and a shuttle bus operates between the station and the casino on Île Notre-Dame (the two islands are connected by bridge and the shuttle covers the gap). The Metro ride from downtown takes about 8 minutes from Berri-UQAM.
By car: Île Notre-Dame is accessible via the Pont de la Concorde from the Jacques-Cartier Bridge area. Parking on the island is free — an unusually generous policy for a major casino.
By taxi or rideshare: Straightforward from downtown Montreal. The return trip is similarly easy — taxis queue at the casino entrance at all hours.
Practical information
Age requirement: 18+ to enter the casino floor. Photo ID required at entry.
Dress code: Smart casual throughout the casino and most restaurants. Sportswear, torn clothing, and shorts are discouraged in the main areas. Nuances restaurant requires proper evening attire (jacket recommended for men).
Hours: The casino floor is open 24/7. Individual restaurants have shorter hours — confirm before arriving for a specific meal.
Currency: Canadian dollars only. ATMs are available throughout the facility.
Responsible gambling: Loto-Québec operates self-exclusion programs and has limits on cash advancement. Information on responsible gambling resources is posted throughout the facility.
Book Montreal evening tours and experiences on GetYourGuideThe island setting
Île Notre-Dame was created entirely from landfill excavated during the construction of the Montreal Metro in the 1960s — a deliberately constructed island purpose-built for Expo 67. After the exposition, the island became home to the F1 circuit (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which wraps around the island perimeter), the casino, and Parc Jean-Drapeau.
The F1 Canadian Grand Prix in June closes the circuit roads, but in the off-season the perimeter of the island is accessible on foot and by bicycle — a 5 km loop with excellent views of the St. Lawrence and the downtown Montreal skyline. Walking from the Metro station to the casino in summer offers river views that most visitors miss.
The casino neighbours Parc Jean-Drapeau’s other major venues — the L’Homme sculpture by Alexander Calder (which frames the Piknic Électronik outdoor dance events on summer Sundays), the swimming complex, and the beach area on the St. Lawrence shore.
Combining with other Old Port activities
A casino evening pairs naturally with dinner in Vieux-Montréal beforehand — take the Metro to Jean-Drapeau after dinner in the Old Town. The return trip in the opposite direction (casino visit followed by Vieux-Montréal nightlife) also works, though the Metro stops running around 1am on weekdays — confirm the last departure if you are staying at the casino past midnight.
Explore Old Montreal by night on GetYourGuide