Grey Rock, Wolastoq and the First Nations

Grey Rock Casino stands on Madawaska Maliseet First Nation land by Edmundston. It opened on March 1, 2015. Grey Rock Entertainment Center Inc. (GREC) runs it for the NBLGC under an agreement signed in September 2014. GREC receives 80% of gross gaming revenue, and the NBLGC keeps 20%.

On January 12, 2023, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal issued a finding on Grey Rock's revenue. It found that Madawaska Maliseet First Nation should have been paid its share of the net profit from video lottery revenue there. In 2023-24, the NBLGC was still in discussions with the Nation on how the casino net profits to be shared are calculated.

At Grey Rock, the Fiddlehead Café + Lounge is named in honour of Maliseet history. Fiddleheads adorned Maliseet canoes, wigwams and clothing long before any written record.

Wolastoq Casino describes itself as proudly owned and operated by Saint Mary's First Nation. It opened in July 2025 at 185 Gabriel Drive, Fredericton. The venue was formerly the St. Mary's Entertainment Centre. The casino supports over 130 team members, by its own count.

The province's gaming page, in its copy archived on March 8, 2026, still says New Brunswick has two casinos: Casino New Brunswick and Grey Rock. Neither the venue nor the province publishes how Wolastoq Casino's games are authorised. For that reason, this guide does not call it licensed or regulated. Its ownership appears here in the venue's own words, without further comment.

Sitansisk (St. Mary's First Nation) has announced the Wolastoq River Resort Casino for Fredericton. The plan calls for a 30,000-square-foot casino and bingo hall. An events centre for 1,000 people is part of it, along with a hotel and spa of more than 100 rooms. The estimated cost is $170 million, spread over three phases.

The band council said it signed an agreement with its existing partners at Wolastoq Casino to build, develop and operate the new resort casino.

The NBLGC shares gaming revenue with First Nations under section 24 of the Gaming Control Act. In fiscal 2023-24, it shared $14.2 million in VLT gaming revenue. Payments go to First Nations that have agreements with the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board and active gaming commissions. They cover video lottery and breakopen schemes conducted on reserve.

Nations receiving payments in fiscal 2023-24 included St. Mary's, Madawaska Maliseet, Woodstock, Oromocto, Metepenagiag, Eel River Bar, Esgenoôpetitj and Elsipogtog. Madawaska Maliseet is the Nation on whose land Grey Rock stands.

St. Mary's First Nation received $3,824,239 in fiscal 2023-24 under its gaming revenue-sharing agreement. Wolastoq Casino describes itself as owned and operated by the same Nation.