Ottawa is a city of sights. Whether you’re into culture, bars, artwork or nature, there’s something for everyone. If you take the advice of the experts at Lonely Planet, everything in Ottawa, from Parliament Hill to the Notre Dame Cathedral-Basilica, is worth a visit. If you want the perfect Instagram snap, the famous Ottawa Sign on York Street or the Tavern on the Hill (Major’s Hill Park) should always be top of your list.
For all the obvious tourist spots, there are also plenty of hotspots that reveal something about life in Ottawa. One of the more interesting is Casino du Lac-Leamy. From a sightseeing perspective, the venue is situated on Lac de la Carrière. However, beyond the natural beauty that surrounds it, this place has become a local entertainment hub since it opened its doors in 1996.
With everything from traditional casino games to nightlife, dining and drinking and even a cigar lounge, Ottawans of all persuasions can go there to be entertained. According to the stats, Casino du Lac-Leamy attracts more than 2.5 million visitors each year and turns a profit of more than $244 million. What’s interesting about this venue’s rise to prominence is that it has followed the recent growth of online casino gaming. After the first platforms went live at the end of the nineties, the industry has grown markedly. In 2017, the size of the online gambling market was pegged at $60.54 billion (US$47.11 billion) by Statista.
Online Accessibility Leads to Offline Interest
In turn, Canadians have embraced the iGaming industry. If you go on a sightseeing tour of the Canadian casino scene, there are dozens of operators offering all manner of games and options. Online casino websites in Canada like onlinecasino ZED offer players everything from slots and blackjack to roulette and video poker. However, what’s interesting about this site is that real money propositions are flanked by practice games. Also known as demo games, these options are good for two things. Firstly, they capture the essence of casino gaming: entertainment. Secondly, they give novices a chance to play without spending money.
By offering a free-play option, more people have been inspired to play and this has boosted the popularity of online casino in Canada Indeed. Free social media games have exploded over the last five years too an have helped create a multibillion industry, practice tables have given the masses an accessible form of entertainment. From this, live venues have flourished.
Because online sites have lifted the veil on the industry and shown people that casino gaming can be entertaining, this has created interest in the live arena. Today, the two mediums have a synergy that helps generate business in both directions. This, in turn, has engrained casino gaming into the fabric of Canadian life and helped to make Ottawa's Casino du Lac-Leamy a hotspot for locals and tourists alike.
Photo: Loto Quebec