Starlight Casino, a New Westminster trip

01Where it is

Whether it goes into a map app or to a cab driver, Starlight's street address is 350 Gifford Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 7A3. That is 16.0 km in a straight line from downtown Vancouver, and the actual route will be longer. Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited operates it. The phone number is 604-777-2946, and the casino's website is starlightcasino.ca.

The casino's pages give no transit directions, and this guide will not guess at a station or route for it. Enter the address in TransLink's trip planner at translink.ca, and check the trip home before you leave, particularly at night. For general notes see By SkyTrain and bus and Late night. For the other casinos outside the city, see Metro casinos.

02Hours

The casino never shuts: it runs around the clock, every day, on each of the year's 365 days. Separate hours apply to the poker room and the racebook; both follow below.

03Tables, slots and poker

The floor counts more than 935 slots alongside 54 live table games.

The 7-table poker room is off the main casino floor. On Friday and Saturday, and no other days, it stays open for 24 hours. Sunday through Thursday, doors open at 11 AM and stay open until "late". That is the venue's wording, and it does not publish an exact closing time.

04Racebook and food

At the racebook, off-track wagers can be placed on thoroughbred and standardbred races. It is inside MATCH Eatery & Public House.

Kirin Restaurant, which serves Chinese food, is also on site. Menus and restaurant hours are on the venue's site.

05Parking, and no hotel

Parking is complimentary, with outdoor lots plus a parkade that delivers you to the front door. RV parking is available on request. Downtown parking is different: Parq Casino charges by licence plate, for example. In November, a parkade that ends at the door is a real benefit.

Starlight has no hotel. If you are staying overnight, you will need to book somewhere else.

06Entry and Encore Rewards

You must be 19 or older. At the door of any BC casino, everyone must produce government-issued photo ID. Security scans the card and compares it with the roster of those banned from gambling venues, Game Break enrollees included. Bring the original card, because photos and copies are not accepted.

Starlight uses Encore Rewards, BCLC's program. Membership is free and handled at Guest Services with valid ID.

07Smoking and support

BC law bans smoking and vaping indoors in casinos.

Each BC casino keeps a GameSense Info Centre, staffed by advisors, on the gaming floor or close to it. When gambling is no longer fun, Gambling Support BC can be reached by phone at 1-888-795-6111; it is free and answers 24/7. Game Break, BCLC's voluntary self-exclusion program, offers terms from 6 months to 3 years. See Support for details.