Before the Casino Drive from Surrey
Surrey is a big city, and the casino you pick might sit in Cloverdale or well past the city line. Before the car leaves the driveway, a few things are worth sorting out. This page covers the age rule, the ID check at the door, which cards count, and a short plan for getting home.
The Door Rule at Every B.C. Casino
One rule covers every casino in British Columbia: nobody under 19 may gamble. Since June 26, 2023, every person walking in also shows government-issued photo ID. That means everyone, regulars included.
Security runs the card through a scanner and compares it with a register of people barred from entry. Anyone enrolled in Game Break, BCLC's voluntary self-exclusion program, is on that register. To enrol, you show up in person with photo ID at any commercial bingo hall, community gaming centre or casino. When you get in, your personal information is not kept by the system. Bring the card anyway, even for a quick visit.
Photo ID That Gets You In
- A B.C. or North American driver's licence.
- A B.C. Identity Card (BCID) or a B.C. Services Card.
- A Canadian or international passport.
- A Canadian citizenship card.
- A Canadian permanent resident card.
- A card-format Secure Certificate of Indian Status.
- A Canadian ID card that Global Affairs Canada has issued.
- A membership card from a band: First Nations, Metis or Inuit.
- Government-issued foreign ID with your photo on it.
A Plan Before You Leave
- Check the hours on the venue's own website before you go.
- Choose an amount to spend and an hour to leave, then hold to both. If those limits begin slipping, 1-888-795-6111 reaches Gambling Support BC, free of charge and open 24/7.
- Settle who is driving home before anyone orders a drink.
- Never drive after drinking, not even a short hop across Surrey. Arrange a sober driver or another ride home.