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Play & Stay Canada

Rama (Orillia), Ontario · gaming age 19+

Casino Rama Resort: our review

Last revised · facts verified

Mid-renovation and better for it: Casino Rama, on Rama First Nation land by Orillia, has been redoing rooms since 2025, opened a ground-floor spa and added three restaurants, Gateway's Atlas Steak and Fish among them. Its 5,000-seat Entertainment Centre still pulls big names north on Highway 400.

  • Rooms & views7.5
  • Casino floor8.5
  • Dining8.5
  • Shows & events10.0
  • Pool, spa & fitness8.0
  • Getting there6.0

Go for it if: A road trip from the GTA for a headliner, or a cottage-country weekend with gaming on the side.
Think twice if: Driving isn't an option — it's about two hours from Toronto to Orillia.

A 1996 resort getting a new life

Rama opened in July 1996 on Rama First Nation land just outside Orillia. Gateway Casinos, which operates it, unveiled a major refurbishment in November 2024 alongside OLG and Rama First Nation: better hotel rooms, a larger spa and fitness area, a refreshed gaming floor and new restaurants. Six months on, in May 2025, crews were renovating rooms from the second level up, and the ground-floor spa was already welcoming guests.

Rooms

Total: 289. Specs for the redone rooms aren't published yet, so ask at booking which floors the work has reached. That one question is the difference between an old room and a new one.

Spa, pool, gym

Steam rooms and saunas are part of the new spa downstairs. The pool hasn't moved from the third floor, and an expanded fitness centre is part of the plan.

Stage

More than 5,000 seats put Rama's Entertainment Centre among the largest casino venues anywhere in Canada. The late-2026 line-up announced so far: Jesse Cook, Colin James, the Celtic Tenors and the Righteous Brothers, with tickets in those announcements from roughly $25 up to $89.

Gaming floor

Gateway publishes no counts, so we lean on Wikipedia, which describes about 1,800 slots and 50 tables on 192,000 sq ft — treat both as estimates. CTV reported in May 2025 that the floor had been refreshed with upgraded machines. Ontario's age rule applies: 19.

Restaurants

Newest is Atlas Steak and Fish at St. Germain's (November 2025), Gateway's signature steak-and-seafood concept in its first Ontario location; the name honours the late George St. Germain, once chief of Rama First Nation. Chow Lucky Noodle Bar came first, in fall 2024, with wok dishes, bowls and soups, then MATCH Eatery and Public House in May 2025, just inside the main rotunda. There's a Tim Hortons as well.

Things to do nearby

Head about two hours north from Toronto on Highway 400 and you're in Orillia. Within easy reach: the sand and gardens of Couchiching Beach Park, the Leacock Museum National Historic Site, and Hardwood Ski and Bike for summer or winter.

Our call

For Ontario's lake-and-concert weekend, this is the place. Wait until renovated rooms reach your floor, book dinner at Atlas and see a headliner — the stage is what really draws people north.

Quick answers before you book

Is there construction at Casino Rama right now?

There's a refurbishment under way. Announced in November 2024, it covers the rooms, a new spa and fitness space, the gaming floor and new restaurants, several of which opened in 2024 and 2025.

How far is Casino Rama from Toronto?

About two hours by car, heading north on Highway 400 to Orillia.

What's the capacity of the Entertainment Centre at Rama?

Over 5,000 seats.

Sources for this review

We verified the facts here on October 23, 2026 using the sources listed above. Rates, fees and hours can change, so check with the hotel before booking. Notice anything outdated? Let us know. Keep browsing: Casino Hotels in Ontario or the complete top 10.