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Casino Hotels Canada

Richmond, British Columbia · casino age 19+

River Rock Casino Resort review

Updated · facts checked

River Rock is the easiest casino hotel in Canada to reach without a car: the Canada Line puts YVR seven minutes away and downtown Vancouver eighteen. It pairs 396 rooms and serious suites with the first Gordon Ramsay Steak in Canada, a pool with a water slide and a marina on the Fraser.

  • Rooms & views8.5
  • Casino floor8.0
  • Dining9.0
  • Shows & events7.5
  • Pool, spa & fitness8.5
  • Getting there10.0

Best for: Travellers using YVR, food-first weekends and anyone who doesn't want to drive.
Skip if: You want a big-arena concert venue — the theatre seats 965.

Why it's here

River Rock opened on the Fraser River in Richmond in 2004 and marked its 20th anniversary with a round of upgrades — most visibly Gordon Ramsay Steak, the first of his fine-dining restaurants in Canada. Ownership changed in June 2026, when Great Canadian Entertainment closed the sale of the resort to a First Nations-led partnership. For guests, the key fact is location: Bridgeport station on the Canada Line is next door.

Rooms and suites

The hotel has 396 rooms. In the Hotel Tower, King, Two Queen and accessible King rooms are 325 square feet. The Casino Tower, linked by a sky bridge, holds the suites: one- and two-bedroom suites of 525–650 sq ft, Executive suites with a sunken living room, Penthouse suites of 1,000–1,200 sq ft with panoramic Fraser River views, and a 2,800 sq ft Presidential Suite with fireplaces and a starlight ceiling over the bed. Rooms include a mini fridge, coffee maker, safe and blackout curtains. You must be 19 or older to check in.

Dining — the strongest card

Gordon Ramsay Steak dry-ages its cuts for 28 days and added an indoor-outdoor dining area facing the marina. Sea Harbour serves Chinese seafood and dim sum (dim sum from 10 am to 3 pm); KOI, a sushi room from the team behind Kuns Omakase, took over the former Miku space in 2026. Chopsticks Noodlehouse runs until 3 am, Rock House does burgers, and The Chairman's Room hosts the Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet (Friday to Sunday, 4–9 pm; $85 adult, $80 senior, $35 child) and a Sunday brunch from 9 am to 3 pm. Privé Bar is open daily from 11 am to 2 am.

Pool, spa and the marina

The pool has a water slide and is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm. Absolute Spa, on level 2, has six treatment rooms and is open 10 am to 6 pm. The resort also has a fitness centre and a marina on the river.

The casino and the theatre

The casino runs 24 hours and includes a poker room and a racebook; it is 19+. River Rock does not publish slot and table counts on its site, so we don't print them. Loyalty is Encore Rewards, the programme used across B.C. casinos. The Show Theatre seats 965 — good for comedy and tribute nights, not stadium acts.

Fees and practical details

A daily resort fee of $19.99 per room is added and includes parking in the West Lot, about a five-minute walk from the hotel entrance. Pets are welcome for $35 per pet per night, charged for a maximum of three nights, with bed and bowls supplied.

Our verdict

The smartest casino hotel in Canada for anyone flying in or out of Vancouver, and a genuine food destination. If a stage show is the main event, look east; if dinner is, stay here.

Questions travellers ask

How do I get from YVR to River Rock?

Take the Canada Line to Bridgeport station; the resort says the airport is about a 7-minute ride.

Does River Rock have a buffet?

Yes — The Chairman's Room Grand Weekend Dinner Buffet, Friday to Sunday 4–9 pm, plus a Sunday brunch.

Are pets allowed?

Yes, for $35 per pet per night, charged for a maximum of three nights.

Sources we checked

Facts on this page were checked on October 23, 2026 against the sources above. Prices, fees and opening hours change — confirm with the hotel before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us. More in Casino Hotels in British Columbia or the full top 10.