The casino at Kawartha Downs is set to close early next year. The move comes as Ontario’s Optional Slots at Racetracks Program comes to an end on March 31, 2026.
The program was launched as a temporary measure in 2019 to assist eligible racetracks where co-located slot facilities had previously closed, or where there were plans to relocate the site, such as Kawartha Downs.
In the fall of 2018, Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs went from 500 slot machines to 150 when Shorelines Casino Peterborough opened.
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), Kawartha Downs and Great Canadian Entertainment, the casino operator, were made aware from the outset of the agreement that the casino lease would not be extended past March 2026.
