PURE Casino Yellowhead shows and poker

Driving, parking and the bus

By car, head for Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16) near 149 Street. The casino sits just off it, and parking there is free.

By bus, take ETS route 905, which runs between Northgate and Westmount transit centres. It stops on 123 Avenue at 152 Street and at 154 Street, both about a five-minute walk from the casino. In the daytime, buses come about every 30 minutes.

Route 905 is not one of the ETS Late Night Owl routes. Check evening and weekend times with BusLink at 780-496-1600, and plan a taxi, rideshare or car for a late trip home.

The Pearl Showroom

The Pearl Showroom is the casino's room for live shows. It seats up to 300, or holds up to 500 standing, with a stage, a dance floor and a full-service bar. Food and drinks are served at your seat. The room is 18+, and minors are not permitted.

Most of the calendar is tribute concerts, to ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, Queen and the Tragically Hip, among others. Art Battle, a magic show and improv comedy fill out the rest.

Poker and table games

The poker room is open 24/7. It runs No Limit Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha, and it hosts Pure Poker Tour events.

Live tables run from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. They include craps, roulette, EZ Baccarat, Bad Beat Baccarat, Free Bet Blackjack and Pai Gow, among others. A separate high-limit room has private tables with hosts. For table hours at every casino, see table games.

Size and background

The casino opened in 2000. It covers 75,000 square feet and has more than 700 slot machines. When its building was sold in 2023, it was the largest of PURE's four original Alberta casinos.

Since December 2024 the operator, PURE Canadian Gaming, has been owned by Indigenous Gaming Partners. That group was formed by five Mi'kmaw communities in Nova Scotia. The same company runs PURE Edmonton on Argyll Road.

Food and stops nearby

• On site: SNAX Pantry & Wok is open every day from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The casino also has Retro Kitchen & Bar and the Social Bar & Lounge.
• Costco N Edmonton (12450 149 Street NW): about 450 metres east, with a food court and a gas station. The warehouse closes at 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on weekends.
• El Mero Mero Taqueria (12223 156 Street NW): tacos, pozole and churros about 500 metres away. It stays open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
• Chateau Nova Yellowhead (13920 Yellowhead Trail): a full-service hotel about 1.7 km east in a straight line, with the Bonaventure Restaurant & Lounge.
• TELUS World of Science – Edmonton (11211 142 Street NW): a short drive south-east, with an IMAX theatre, the Zeidler Dome and a public observatory.

What visitors talk about

Staff and dealers are often praised as friendly and personable. One visitor singled out a blackjack dealer by name, and another thanked staff who helped with a problem.

Food value comes up a lot, especially the Friday prime rib special at Retro and the burgers: big portions at modest prices. Some recent visits were less happy, with slow service, a cold order from SNAX and a smaller menu at a showroom event.

Visitors also come for the Pearl Showroom, whether for comedy, Art Battle or a concert. Opinions on food and service during shows are mixed.

Hours by day

Edmonton time, as the casino publishes its hours: Slots & Poker open 24 hours; Table Games daily 10am-3am. Holiday hours can differ.

Questions