Online casino websites and the online poker phenomenon are not the only gambling controversies in Canada. BC Place in Vancouver could play host to a massive new casino, it has recently been revealed. The Paragon Casino is planned to include 150 gaming tables and 1,500 slot machines, which is three times the size of the Edgewater Casino, the building it would replace. The new complex would also feature two hotel towers on the land around BC Place and four residential towers on an adjacent property, which is owned by Concord Pacific.

However the project is still far from secure, as it needs final council approval after a public hearing in order to go ahead. Several city councillors have already stated that they may withhold their support for the venture, due to concerns about the impact the casino may have socially on the community. Every councillor, regardless of individual policy, has also voiced concern about current the gambling policy. Addiction is primary among their worries, along with the organized crime, money laundering and loan-sharking that can come as baggage with large gambling establishments.

The B.C. Lottery Corporation has stated that it is fully prepared to answer all questions regarding the casino plans in a public hearing. Should they prove successful, work will begin in the coming months.