By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent recently received $441,738 in its third-quarter payment from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation for hosting Cascades Casino Chatham.
The quarter covers Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, as the OLG has paid the municipality $1,378,344 so far in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The municipality received $474,992 for the April 1-June 30 quarter and $461,614 for the July 1-Sept. 30 period.
The OLG paid Chatham-Kent $1,743,458 for its 2024-25 fiscal year..
Chatham-Kent has received $20,921,267 from the OLG since its first gaming site opened in April 2001 at Dresden Raceway, which was replaced by the Cascades Casino Chatham in 2019.
Funds from the OLG help offset the costs of all municipally delivered services, as well as fund municipal grants, support for community groups, events, public art and community initiatives.
“I’m continuously blown away by the funds that we receive through our partnership with OLG,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff. “These funds represent a significant investment in our community and help fund many of the great things we’re seeing come to fruition throughout CK.”
The mayor expressed his thanks to the OLG for the important role they play in supporting the community.
“Their contributions continue to have a significant impact on the quality of service we deliver to residents and help promote the growth we continue to see throughout Chatham-Kent,” Canniff said.
Payments to host communities are based on a formula in the Municipality Contribution Agreement, consistently applied across all land-based casno sites in Ontario, using a graduated scale based on gaming revenue at the hosted site.
“Year after year, a share of the revenue from Cascades Casino Chatham through OLG’s Municipality Contribution Agreement has been an important source of funding for Chatham-Kent, helping to deliver vital services and helping to enhance the quality of life of local residents,” said Trevor Jones, MPP Chatham-Kent-Leamington. “Host communities benefit from their share of local casino revenue, while all Ontarians benefit from OLG’s gaming revenues, as 100 per cent of OLG profits are reinvested in communities across the province.”
Since 1994, host communities have received almost $2.4 billion in non-tax gaming revenue.
Over the past 9 years, service providers have invested more than $2.9 billion in private-sector capital across the province.
These investments have led to the development and opening of seven new casinos, two large-scale resort developments, and numerous gaming floor expansions, as well as new non-gaming amenities.
The OLG is celebrating its 50th year as the crown agency that conducts and manages land-based gaming facilities, province-wide lottery games, internet gaming, and the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres.
OLG also supports the horse racing industry in Ontario.
Since its start in 1975, OLG has generated approximately $62 billion to support key government priorities, including health care, the treatment and prevention of problem gambling, and support for amateur athletes.
Each year, profits from OLG’s operations also support host communities, Ontario First Nations, lottery retailers and local charities across the province.
