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Report from Toronto’s Exhibition Place rejects idea of year-round casino

Saturday, June 20, 2026 2:49 PM
Photo: Shutterstock
  • Alan Carter, City News

For most of the year, Exhibition Place is a series of wide throughfares and empty spaces. But come late August, it transforms into the Canadian National Exhibition with rides, food and gambling.

Since 1991, the CNE has operated a temporary casino as part of the festivities. Now, a new report by the Exhibition Place CEO to its Board of Governors says gambling during the fair is fine, but “introducing new casino opportunities may lead to adverse public health and community impacts.”

“I think Ontario is well supplied with casinos,” said CEO Don Boyle. “You’ve got Woodbine, you got them in the east end, now you got them to the north, you got them out of the Niagara Falls area.”