Two Account Systems At One Casino
At the View Royal property on 1708 Island Highway - which currently runs as Elements Casino Victoria under Great Canadian Entertainment - you are dealing with two separate account systems. I learned pretty quickly that mixing them up is annoying and wastes time. When I tested both signup flows side by side, the difference turned out to be more practical than it seems at first glance.
The first option is Great Canadian Rewards. That is the membership program you can join online or by going to the Guest Services counter inside the building. The second one is a Player Gaming Account. This is a different product altogether: you open it only in person, you have to put money in right away, and it is meant for regular players rather than someone who just stops in here and there.
Most people, including me, start with Rewards. It is the account that actually connects your casino play to a profile, records your activity, and gives you access to the member portal.
What You Should Have Ready First
Before you even open your browser or walk up to the front door, a few basics have to be covered. You need to be at least 19 years old, since that is the legal gambling age in British Columbia. A valid government-issued photo ID is non-negotiable for both account types. You also cannot be on a self-exclusion list or banned from the property.
For the Great Canadian Rewards online path specifically, there are a couple of extra things. You need a phone with a working camera because there is a proper document scan step, not just a checkbox. You also need an email address where they can send your login code. The camera requirement is the part that seems to catch people out - it is not just “fill in a form and you are done”, there is an identity check built into the flow.
Creating a Great Canadian Rewards Account Online
I tried registering from both a desktop and a phone. It runs on both, but the camera-based ID check is way smoother on mobile. On desktop I ended up fiddling around to get the camera recognized properly, so if you have a smartphone handy, I would just use that.
The online signup looks like this:
- Go to gcrewards.com/signup in your browser.
- Type in your personal information exactly as it appears on your identification: full name, date of birth, and contact details.
- When the system asks for it, use your phone camera to capture an image of your ID document so they can verify who you are.
- Add your mobile number and email address. Both will be used for sending you verification codes.
- Submit everything and wait briefly for a confirmation response.
- The first time you log in, you use your member account number together with a four-digit PIN.
- A six-digit code is then sent to the phone or email you registered. You enter that to complete the login.
- Once that goes through, your profile is active and connected to your play at the View Royal property.
After that point, you can get into the member portal through a regular browser or through the GC Rewards mobile app. I usually double-check the app download link from the official Great Canadian website instead of searching by hand in app stores; some third-party listings tend to be older versions or not quite right.
| Account Type | Signup Method | Minimum Deposit | ID Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Canadian Rewards | Online or in-person at Guest Services | None | Government-issued photo ID |
| Player Gaming Account | In-person only at the casino | CAD 2,000 | Government-issued photo ID |
Looking at that table, the gap between the two products is pretty obvious. Opening a Rewards account is free and simple. The Player Gaming Account is a different commitment.
Opening a Player Gaming Account In Person
The Player Gaming Account is handled entirely on site. There is no online application, no way to start it over the phone. You physically go to the Guest Services desk at 1708 Island Highway, View Royal, BC, V9B 1H8 and deal with it there.
When I walked through the steps, the actual process was fairly direct:
- Go to Elements Casino Victoria at the View Royal address.
- Head over to Guest Services and tell the staff you want to open a Player Gaming Account.
- Hand over your government-issued photo ID so they can verify it on the spot.
- Have your initial deposit ready - the minimum amount is CAD 2,000.
- Pick your deposit method. They accept bank draft, certified cheque, Interac e-Transfer and wire transfer, all in Canadian dollars.
- There is no extra service fee for opening the account itself.
- Once the deposit clears and your identity is confirmed, the account becomes active.
- Keep your account number and any paperwork they hand you. Do not just toss it in a pocket and forget it.
That CAD 2,000 minimum deposit is what instantly separates this from the casual crowd. The account follows Great Canadian Gaming Corporation policies, and the requirement to be there in person is strict. This is not a temporary rule or something you can bypass online with a form.
One practical thought, which really applies almost anywhere you register in person: bring more identification than you think you will need. A second document in your bag or wallet has saved me a few times, when a primary ID had a worn-out barcode or the scanner did not like the surface.
Accessing the Member Portal After Registration
Once a Rewards account exists, the member portal becomes your main control panel. That is where you look up your balance, check any linked casino activity, and adjust basic account settings. Login is done with your member account number and the four-digit PIN you set. When you log in from a new device for the first time, a six-digit verification code goes out to your registered phone or email. You repeat that each time you sign in from a device the system has not seen before, not just on day one.
If you signed up face to face at Guest Services, your membership card has the account number printed on it. When you register online, the number appears digitally once the ID verification step is finished, so keep an eye out for that screen or email.