The parts nobody puts in the brochure

A bed and nothing to do with the floor. Casino access is free and needs no reservation; resort fees, parking and breakfast vary by property and are quoted separately. Rates at Rama and the Toronto resort move with the show calendar rather than the season — a quiet Tuesday in July can cost less than a Tuesday in February with a sold-out venue.

Bring government photo ID: provincial driver's licence, passport or provincial photo card. Health cards are not accepted as gaming identification in most provinces. Staff check at the door, not at the table, and they check regardless of how old you look.

Calgary and Rama are car destinations with free parking. River Rock has its own transit stop on the Canada Line, which makes it the only one of the four you can reach from an airport without renting anything.

Every property here has rooms on the side away from the venue and the porte-cochère. They are rarely offered by default. Ask at booking, then again at check-in.

Decide the number before you leave home and take it in cash. Each provincial regulator runs a self-exclusion programme that applies across venues in that province, and guest services will arrange it on the spot. If gambling has stopped being entertainment, the provincial help lines in the footer are free and confidential.