Can the new Gordie Howe International Bridge Drive More Visitors to Caesars Windsor Casino?

Will the newly opened Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Windsor and Detroit, be a jackpot for Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino?

“We’ve always had a friction problem — the crossing experience, the tolls, the congestion,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “When you remove that friction, when you make it genuinely easy and affordable for someone in Detroit, or Ann Arbor, or Toledo to get across that river, you change the calculus entirely. 

“A weekend trip to Windsor stops feeling like a production and starts feeling like an obvious choice to people. That’s what this bridge does for us.”

Mayor Sees Tourism Boost

In the province, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) legally owns, conducts, and manages land-based casinos, which are operated by private companies. Caesars has been running the Windsor casino since 2008.

The new cable-stayed bridge will cross the Detroit River and is around 2.5 kilometres long, with six lanes for cars (three each way). It also has a dedicated bike and pedestrian path, the only one of those on a Detroit River crossing. It’s going to ease congestion on the Ambassador Bridge, Dilkens said.

The bridge is located around 6 miles from the Windsor casino. Previously, visitors from the U.S. would come through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel or across the Ambassador Bridge. 

Casino Access Improves

The Gordie Howe International Bridge connects directly to Highway 401 on the Canadian side and Interstate 75 on the U.S. side, providing easier highway access while reducing congestion at those other casino access points.

“I’ve been saying for years that this bridge is a game changer for Windsor-Essex, and tourism is a huge part of that story that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves,” said Dilkens. “It finally gives us the infrastructure to fully deliver on what this two-nation destination has always promised. 

“More movement in both directions means more vibrancy, more economic activity, and a stronger destination on both sides of the river.”

Controversial Opening

The opening of the $6.4 billion bridge has had its share of controversy, particularly around revenue sharing between the Canadian and U.S. governments. 

Canada held a ceremony last week (July 24) to mark the bridge’s opening, but a joint celebration with the United States was cancelled after Washington issued its most recent threat of tariffs on Canadian goods.

The bridge will have toll rates for cars and trucks – a flat rate for a small or medium-sized personal vehicle will be CAD $8 per vehicle, plus $8 per trailer, and $6 per vehicle via the Breakaway electronic toll program, with higher rates for larger commercial vehicles.

Casino Revenue Structure

Caesars Windsor is one of Canada’s largest casino resorts. OLG provides consolidated numbers from land-based casino numbers in its annual reports, but those are not broken down by individual sites. OLG stopped doing that when service providers took over in 2016-17. 

Quarterly host municipality payments in the communities where the casino is hosted are another way to get a snapshot of the financial performance of a land-based property in Ontario, based on a graduated scale of revenues.  

Municipalities receive 5.25% on the first $65 million of slot revenue, 3.0% on the next $135 million of slot revenue, 2.5% on the next $300 million of slot revenue, then 0.5% on anything above $500 million. The municipalities also receive 4.0% of table game revenue (if applicable) and 4.0% of sportsbook revenue (if applicable). 

Tracking Casino Performance

As Tony Bitonti, an OLG spokesperson, said, you still have to look at the casinos on a yearly basis, not quarterly, to get a more accurate picture of their financial performance, because various factors could impact a quarterly payment (for example, a bad winter or labor issues). 

“The dollar value of these quarterly payments may vary within a given year depending on if/when a site reaches these graduated revenue benchmarks,” he said.

Based on the Q1 municipal payments (ending June 30, 2026), released on July 22, the City of Windsor received just over CAD $3.2 million from the casino property.

Detroit’s three commercial casinos – MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino – are all relatively close to the U.S. side of the bridge, for Canadians looking to travel to the U.S.

Casino.org has reached out to Caesars Windsor for a reaction to the opening of the bridge, but we’ve yet to hear back.