It’s not every day that I get to visit one of the new casinos that opened in this decade and, considering the ACE Casino Blackfoot only opened its doors a little over three years ago, I was excited to see what was in store.

Casinos have changed significantly over the years and while I’ll always be a traditionalist at heart, there’s something about visiting venues which are kitted out with all the latest technology and feature contemporary touches that we couldn’t have dreamed about not too long ago that I always find exciting.

Located just a few kilometres southwest of downtown Calgary, ACE Casino Blackfoot is amongst a handful of casinos in this area, and I went along to see exactly what is on offer and how things are holding up.

The site which ACE Casino Blackfoot resides on has quite a colourful history, to say the least, as it was home to much Calgary’s much-loved Silver Dollar Casino.

Originally, The Silver Dollar Casino started out as an entertainment centre back in 1983 before founder Frank Sisson decided to add a casino to the complex in 1996.

Despite the locals love of the place, financial difficulties forced its closure and it was snapped up by Colorado-based Century Casinos, Inc. in a $10.6 million deal in 2010.

In February 2020, Century Casinos sold the casino to the family-run SM2 Capital Partners and the casino was renamed ACE Casino Blackfoot.

The casino was completely redesigned and refurbished and opened its doors just a few months later to the public.

Considering the venues history, and especially when you think that it was once an entertainment complex, I was surprised to find out that there is no on-site hotel here. Whether this is something that will be added in the future remains to be seen, but I think it would definitely add an extra layer to this place.

Anyhow, with the history of ACE Casino Blackfoot cleared up, lets jump into exactly what a day out here looks like.

Location

ACE Casino Blackfoot is located at 4040 Blackfoot Trail SE, less than 5km away from downtown Calgary. 

Cities of interest nearby include Edmonton, 300km away, and Red Deer, 150km away.

The nearest airport to the casino is Calgary International Airport which is 15 minutes away by car. Other notable airports within the vicinity include Vancouver International Airport and Winnipeg International Airport, both of which have regular direct flights to Calgary International Airport.

If you plan on arriving to ACE Casino Blackfoot by car, there is a free parking lot directly in front of the casino but be aware that this is unsecure.

In relation to public transport, there are a handful of bus services that run close to the casino, including the 10, 147, 30, and 449. These services only support travel locally around Calgary though.

ACE Casino Blackfoot is open seven days a week, from 9am – 3am Monday to Thursday and 24-hours over the weekend (Friday at 9am until Monday at 3am) – the only casino in Calgary that’s open 24-hours over the weekend, in fact.

The casino is set out over 72,000 square feet of gaming space and certainly feels big enough to spread out.

I didn’t find the casino to be out of the ordinary in any way, but I don’t mean this as a bad thing. I felt relaxed and comfortable throughout my time spent there and I really enjoyed the atmosphere – I visited on a weekday evening but there were enough people around to create a bit of a buzz.

Table Game Selection

The table game selection here is about standard, I’d say. The table games are open daily from 12 pm - 3 am and casino-goers can choose from:

• Roulette
• Craps
• EZ Baccarat
• Texas Hold’em
• Pai Gow Tiles
• Blackjack

Fans of progressives can choose from:

• Blazing 777 Blackjack
• Ultimate Texas Hold'em
• Chase the Flush

Note that a progressive wager is $1 for Blackjack and Ultimate Texas Hold’em and $5 for chase the flush.

Alongside the progressive options, there’s a range of side bets to choose from too, which are Lucky Lucky Blackjack, Dragon 7 and Panda for EZ Baccarat, Fire Bet for Craps, and Pair Fortunes for Pai Gow Tiles.

The past few casinos I’ve visited haven’t had craps tables, so I was pleased to see this as an option and even more pleased with the luck that I had on there.

I also paid a visit to the roulette tables and sat in for a few hands of Texas Hold’em and all the dealers I interacted with were completely professional and friendly.

Electronic Table Games

There’s a good range of electronic table games spread out through casino, with the choice of EZ-Baccarat, Roulette, Blackjack, and Three-card Poker. 

Players can choose between live-dealt or fully automated games and take advantage of lower betting limits when compared to the traditional table games.

You’ll find the electronic roulette and baccarat terminals situated close to the central casino floor bar while the multi-gaming tables are situated on the other side next to Guest Services.

My only criticism is that all of the terminals are all placed very close together, making it feel quite crowded and not leaving much room to move around.

Slots and VLTs

Undoubtedly, one of the highlights of this casino is the slot selection. 

You’ll find 637 different slots to choose from, ranging from traditional machines to modern video slots, with denominations ranging from $0.01 to $5.

I was feeling a little nostalgic, so I decided to chance my luck on Cleopatra but without much luck unfortunately. 

Those seeking more of an intimate experience can check out the range of VIP slots on offer, including firm favourites like American Original and Jungle Wild, in the brand-new dedicated VIP Slot Room.

The VIP Slot Room is located off the main casino floor and sports marble walls and an overall more luxurious feel. There are 29 slots to choose from in here, but the maximum bet is still only $5 which I thought was a little underwhelming considering the whole point of the room is to feel exclusive.

Another option is the 888 Slot Room. With a less luxurious but more fun type of atmosphere, this room is home to popular penny machines such as 88 Fortune and Lucky Budha.

I tried out both the dedicated slot rooms and found that the 888 Slot Room was by far my favourite. The penny machines created more of a carnival style vibe which I enjoyed whereas, in contrast, I found the atmosphere in the VIP slot room to be a little flat.

High Limit Gambling

I was pleased to find a dedicated high limit gambling room at this casino, located away from the main casino floor.

Indeed, privacy seems to be of unparalleled importance here as the room is only available for private bookings (which can be done on the official ACE Casino Blackfoot website or by calling them directly) or upon request.

While high limit gambling isn’t really my scene, I did ask a member of staff if I could pop my head in and have a look at the space, and they were only too happy to oblige.

There are two baccarat tables inside, with betting limits starting at $25. Side bets that are offered include Dragon 7 and Panda 8.

In terms of appearance, the décor is noticeably more luxurious and the dim lighting adds to the VIP atmosphere. 

There’s not much in the way of furniture besides a small seating area and dining table.

Of course, I didn’t witness this myself but I was informed that visitors to the High Limit Room are treated to top shelf liquor and complimentary food as well as being waited on by dedicated staff.

Waitress Service

Upon arrival I was told that complimentary coffee and soft drinks are provided and I was hoping this would mean there would be table service on the casino floor. I know this isn’t quite Las Vegas, but I still had hope.

Unfortunately, this was not the case – there are pop and coffee machines dotted around in the name of self service.

It would be nice to see table service introduced at some point in the future as I always think it adds a touch of class to the experience and makes you feel more at home. After all, waitress service is a perk that even the best online casinos can't offer, so in-person players should really be offered it.

Unfortunately, there is no on-site hotel at ACE Casino Blackfoot. 

However, thanks to the casino’s central location there are plenty of hotels nearby to choose from. 

The closest hotels you’ll find are dotted up and down the Macleod Trail, one of Calgary’s major roads, which is just a few minutes’ drive away from the casino.

Some of the best rated hotels within a two-mile radius of the casino include Hotel Blackfoot, Best Western Plus Calgary Centre Inn, Amenida Residences and Hotel, and Comfort Inn and Suites South.

I opted to stay at Hotel Blackfoot which is situated just a three-minute drive away from the casino. 

Hotel Blackfoot is home to 193 guest rooms and suites and has a fantastic range of facilities, including a restaurant, sports bar, heated outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness centre, and a lobby patio. 

It’s probably one of the best hotels I’ve visited in recent times so if visiting ACE Casino Blackfoot requires an overnight stay, I’d totally recommend staying here over anywhere else.

Food and Drink

There’s not a huge variety of different places to eat and drink at ACE Casino Blackfoot. In fact, there’s only two options: The Kitchen and The Centre Bar.

However, having tried out both places during my visit, I can safely say that the two options that are available are great.

The Kitchen is a casual eatery situated right in the heart of the casino floor. It does have a bit of a fast-food feel to it, but I didn’t mind.

Food options included old-favourite things like ribs, burgers, and fish and chips. I opted for the ribs after seeing them being brought out to a table close to mine and feeling a certain amount of food envy. Ultimately, it was a good decision – they were fantastic. 

The Centre Bar is the main bar in the casino and is the place to go to when you feel like taking a break from the tables or catch your favourite sports team thanks to the big screen.

Drinks wise, there’s a whole range of cocktails, draught beers, wines, spirits, and shots to choose from, so there’s enough on offer here to appeal to all.

The Centre Bar also operates a Happy Hour Monday to Friday, from 12pm – 6pm, with drinks starting from just $4.75. 

Entertainment

Regular entertainment offerings are available at ACE Casino Blackfoot, though not as often as at other casinos. 

In the month I visited, there were shows featuring singers Danny Floyd Cole, and Joey Pringle, and an Elvis tribute act featuring Will Reeb, to name a few.

The entertainment schedule is posted a month in advance and can you check this out on the official website.

The casino is well-proportioned and fully accessible to wheelchair users. Aside from the odd tight space in which to manoeuvre, no one should have any difficulty at all getting around the place. 

I’m somebody who believes that all casinos should offer customers a loyalty/rewards scheme. After all, it’s important for us to feel valued and get the most out of the experience.

I always tend to do a bit of digging in relation to this before I visit a casino so I know what to expect and so I can decide whether to sign up or not. 

Unfortunately, ACE Casino Blackfoot does not yet offer a rewards scheme, but there is one currently in development. 

The official website doesn’t give away any information about what the rewards scheme will look like or how long it will be until it is ready to be rolled out. I did ask a couple of members of staff about this during my visit but was unable to find out any more information.

If it’s something you’re interested in, there is an option on the website to sign up and get your name on the waiting list so that you can be notified as soon as the rewards scheme becomes available.

Promotions

In terms of promotions, there always tends to be something running here. While they are subject to change, you can check out some current promotions on offer so you can get a feel for it:

• Win a trip to Toronto – Prize draw which includes two tickets to the Blue Jays game, airfare, and hotel.
• Ace the Concert Experience – Prize draw offering two premium concert tickets.
• Monthly slot tournaments

I found my experience at ACE Casino Blackfoot to be enjoyable but not one that blew me away. But that’s ok, not every casino can.

I spent around 4 hours in this casino and I felt this was long enough to try everything out. 

I found the atmosphere to be one of the best things – it was relaxed yet there was a definite buzz around the casino floor. As I visited mid-week, I don’t feel as though I got the full experience and I imagine things get much busier on the weekend, especially considering it’s the only casino in Calgary that’s open 24-hours during this time.

I was impressed with the slots selection in particular here and I really like the fact that there’s a couple of different rooms with different types of machines to play on.

In a perfect world, I would have maybe preferred another eatery or bar but the ones on offer are pleasant, so this isn’t a big deal.

While I wouldn’t go out of my way to return, I think the ACE Casino Blackfoot offers a good casino experience in Calgary and if I would return if I was in the area again.

ACE Casino Blackfoot offers everything you need for a good day out and I think things will only carry on improving here.

With this in mind, one thing to note is that this place still feels as though it hasn’t fully settled in yet. What I mean by this is that there are still new additions being added and things that aren’t off the ground just yet i.e. the rewards club.

However, while the ACE Casino Blackfoot may still be finding its feet, I think what it does currently offer is good and makes it worth a visit should you find yourself in this neck of the woods.