• Rigorous health & safety procedures

• New reservation and virtual queue system to promote safe distancing

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment has the privilege of operating in cities and towns across Canada. As a company, we gain so much from each of these communities and believe it is our responsibility to give back, pitch in and provide support to those causes that matter most to our neighbours.

October 6, 2020 – Gateway Casinos & Entertainment (Gateway) is pleased to announce that it will re-open select properties in Ontario as part of the province’s Stage 3 guidelines. Beginning on Thursday, October 8, locations in Woodstock, Clinton and Hanover will re-open and all other Gateway locations – except for Casino Rama Resort – will re-open on Saturday, October 10. Under this framework, all properties will be restricted to the government mandated maximum of 50 guests, and will only include slot machines. Table games will not be operational and non-gaming amenities will be very limited.

At opening and in the coming days, we will be operating with a reservation and invitation system for our customers only. Due to the 50-customer capacity restrictions, properties will be open to invited My Club Rewards members only. Invited members will be notified by email with details on how to make reservations.

Oct 08, 2020 A long-time Conservative MP says Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, which operates Gateway Casinos Sault Ste. Marie and many other gambling facilities, “swindled a naive prime minister out of $200. Dec 13, 2020 - OLG Casino Sault Ste. Marie with 430+ slot machines plus table games including Texas Hold'em Poker and more! Enjoy our full service Getaway restaurant. Mon to Wed 9am to 2 am and 24 hours Thurs to Sun. Documents show Gateway paid $79M for northern Ontario casinos. 36 of the 100 workers at the Sault Ste. Marie casino have been called back, but the union says four of them refused out of fear.

“We are excited to be able to re-open our Ontario properties and welcome back some of our team members and customers. The health and well-being of our employees and guests is our top priority,” said Tony Santo, CEO at Gateway Casinos. “We look forward to fully re-opening and welcoming more of our guests back in the future as capacities are increased and restrictions are lifted.”

Maintaining a clean environment is a year-round priority and it is regular practice to clean all hard surfaces, such as door handles and tables. Under the current environment, Gateway is being hyper-vigilant in our cleaning protocols throughout our properties to prevent the spread of transmittable illnesses, including COVID-19.

Gateway has implemented a new reservation and virtual queue system that will allow guests to book their play time online, check-in upon arrival and safely wait in their vehicles until we are ready for their entry. “This system will allow our staff to properly prepare the gaming floor for our guests, and ensure there is no congestion at the entrance as they wait to enter,” said Santo. “Things may look and feel a little different around the property, but we remain committed to making your visit enjoyable.”

For more information on the Company’s health and safety protocols, click here.

For re-opening information including details on all amenities and opening hours, please visit the individual property website or follow them on social media.

Media Contact:

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment:

Rob Mitchell

Director, Communications & Public Affairs

226-235-6548

About Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited (“Gateway”) is one of the largest and most diversified gaming and entertainment companies in Canada with 26 gaming properties in British Columbia and Ontario and two additional properties in Edmonton, Alberta. Across its entire portfolio, Gateway currently employs over 8,000 people and features approximately 421 table games (including 48 poker tables), 14,162 slots, 82 food and beverage outlets and 561 hotel rooms. A multi-pronged growth strategy has seen Gateway diversify and expand its product offering, including developing proprietary casino and restaurant brands, dramatically improving the gaming customer experience while attracting new customers. Some of Gateway’s proprietary brands include Match Eatery & Public House, Atlas Steak + Fish and the new Halley’s Club. In 2017, Gateway celebrated 25 years in the business ofgaming and entertainment in Canada. Additional information is available at www.gatewaycasinos.com.* All figures as at February 13, 2020

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment will have to protect its casino staff members across Ontario, as their employee benefits are going to expire at the end of this month. Some 105 individuals associated with Gateway Casinos Sault Ste. Marie approach next month with a level of uncertainty when it comes to their income and employment.

The situation across Ontario remains uncertain when it comes to in-person casino gaming and all the benefits coming with it. Casino staff members have been in this uncertain situation for almost five months now, ever since brick-and-mortar casino venues closed for business mid-March. There are 105 individuals employed both full-time and part-time at the casino hotspot that are unionized. Their labor union seeks protection for its members.

Employee Benefits

The United Steelworkers is the labor union protecting these individuals and seeking their best interests at all times. Nearly five months after the start of lockdown, these people remain unsure whether their benefits will be paid come September. August 31 is the final date of their employee benefits payments. Marc Ayotte, area coordinator for Local 8748-18, recently pointed out that an extension would be needed.

It could be recalled that at the end of June, the labor union protecting casino members had a frank conversation with the casino operator overseeing this and many more casino locations across Canada. The negotiation aimed to extend employee benefits payments until the end of August with the option of renegotiation once the date arrives. The uncertainty of the situation called for flexibility and extension.

The labor union would like to see an extension of the employee benefits past the end of August, as this will make it possible for casino staff members to prepare for the winter months ahead. Mr. Ayotte pointed out that some of the casino employees need special medication they would not be able to purchase without reliable benefits coming their way in the future.

Negotiations Can Commence Soon

For the time being, the casino operator overseeing the gaming location has neither confirmed nor denied that it has plans for extending the benefits payments over the upcoming months. Mr. Ayotte is still determined to get in touch with Gateway Casinos and to negotiate the most comprehensive extension package for the 105 unionized individuals depending on those efforts. In the meantime, many casino venues in Ontario hesitate to reopen.

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It could be recalled that mid-June, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation made it clear that casino venues across the province have the right to relaunch their daily operation with all safety protocols in place. However, it also became clear that there are some limitations when it comes to the number of casino patrons that will be welcomed at the casino venues at the same time.

These restrictions have made it impossible for Gateway Casinos to reopen some of its casino locations to this day, as it is considered an unsustainable approach to the situation. The limited number of patrons would not provide enough gaming revenues to keep the venues afloat in the long run, doing more harm than good.

Gateway Casino Sault Ste Marie Ontario