Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall

Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall is a casino and live-entertainment venue in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada. It is closely associated with the Klondike Gold Rush character and atmosphere that define Dawson City's tourism identity. The venue takes its name and theatrical persona from Gertie Lovejoy, a celebrated dancehall figure of the Gold Rush era who was known for a diamond set between her front teeth. Through casino gaming, period-inspired décor, and recurring stage performances, the property presents gambling as part of a broader historical and entertainment experience rather than as a standalone modern gaming facility. The casino opened in 1971 under the direction of the Klondike Visitors Association, a nonprofit organization involved in promoting Dawson City and preserving elements of the Klondike story. Its creation followed earlier casino nights held aboard the S.S. Keno after the association obtained a special gambling licence from the Canadian government. The operation subsequently moved into the historic building now identified with Gertie's, giving the venue a permanent home in the centre of Dawson City. Gertie's occupies the former Arctic Brotherhood Hall, a substantial wooden building erected in 1901 by the Arctic Brotherhood, a fraternal organization whose Dawson camp had been established in 1899. The building was completed in approximately three weeks and was regarded at the time as one of the most imposing structures in the region. After the Arctic Brotherhood ceased to exist in the 1920s, the building was used by the Fraternal Order of Eagles and later functioned as a community hall. It was renovated and briefly called Centennial Hall in 1967, during Canada's centennial year, before being leased to the Klondike Visitors Association for casino operations in 1971. The venue is described as Canada's oldest casino and as the only casino in northern Canada. Its gaming offer has included blackjack, roulette, poker, red dog poker, a money wheel using Canadian currency, and slot machines. The property also presents a daily vaudeville-style show inspired by Dawson's Gold Rush-era dancehall culture. This combination of gaming and stage entertainment gives Diamond Tooth Gertie's a distinctive tourism proposition built around historical atmosphere, local storytelling, and seasonal visitor demand. As a nonprofit-operated attraction, Gertie's is also part of a community funding model. Revenue is reinvested by the Klondike Visitors Association into Dawson City initiatives, including historic-site preservation, local events, and promotion of the Klondike region. The building and venue therefore serve both commercial and civic purposes: they attract visitors while supporting the preservation and presentation of Dawson City's heritage. In 2015, the property was declared a Municipal Heritage Site, reinforcing its importance as an architectural and cultural landmark. Its present identity rests on the continuing integration of casino gaming, live performance, historic interpretation, and community tourism.

Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall occupies a building with a history that predates the casino by seven decades. The structure was built in 1901 as Arctic Brotherhood Hall by the Arctic Brotherhood, a fraternal organization formed for men living in the northwestern part of North America. Dawson City's Camp No. 4 had been established in November 1899, during the period when the city remained a major centre of the Klondike Gold Rush region. Construction reportedly took about three weeks, and the finished building was considered one of the largest and grandest structures in the Northwest at the time. The Arctic Brotherhood eventually disappeared as an organization in the 1920s. Afterward, the building was occupied by the Fraternal Order of Eagles and later adapted for use as a community hall. A renovation in 1967 gave it the temporary name Centennial Hall, commemorating the centenary of Canadian Confederation. Its next major chapter began when the Klondike Visitors Association developed casino entertainment as a tourism activity. Before establishing Gertie's in the historic hall, the association organized casino nights aboard the S.S. Keno after receiving a special gambling licence from the Canadian government. In 1971, the town leased the former hall to the association, which opened Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall there. The operation was named for Gertie Lovejoy, a Dawson dancehall personality associated with the Gold Rush era and remembered for a diamond between her two front teeth. The name became the basis for a deliberately theatrical visitor experience drawing on Dawson City's frontier mythology. Gertie's developed as both a casino and a performance venue. Its gaming program has included blackjack, roulette, poker, red dog poker, a Canadian-bill-themed money wheel, and slot machines. The property has also hosted a daily vaudeville-style show inspired by historic Dawson dancehalls. This programming helps distinguish it from a conventional casino by linking its entertainment offer to the city's heritage narrative. The Klondike Visitors Association continues to operate the venue as a nonprofit organization. The casino is widely characterized as Canada's oldest casino and the only casino in northern Canada. Its revenues are used to support community-oriented purposes such as historic preservation, local events, and promotion of the Klondike. In this respect, the venue functions as a tourism business and as a mechanism for reinvesting visitor spending in Dawson City's cultural infrastructure. The building's historical importance was formally reinforced in 2015, when Diamond Tooth Gertie's was declared a Municipal Heritage Site. The designation recognizes the significance of the structure and its continuing contribution to Dawson City's identity. Today, the venue remains defined by the interaction of three elements: a historic building, casino gaming, and live entertainment based on the region's Gold Rush past.

• 2015

  Municipal Heritage Site designation

  [1]Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The property was declared a Municipal Heritage Site, formally acknowledging its architectural and cultural significance in Dawson City.

• 1971

  Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall opens

  [1]Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The Klondike Visitors Association began operating a casino in the historic hall after earlier casino nights had been held aboard the S.S. Keno.

• 1967

  Building renovated as Centennial Hall

  [1]Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Arctic Brotherhood Hall was renovated and briefly renamed Centennial Hall in recognition of Canada's centennial.

• 1901

  Arctic Brotherhood Hall constructed

  [1]Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The building was erected in approximately three weeks and became one of the most prominent structures in the region.

• 1899

  Arctic Brotherhood Camp No. 4 established in Dawson City

  [1]Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hallen.wikipedia.org

  The Dawson City camp of the Arctic Brotherhood was formed, laying the organizational foundation for the hall that later housed Diamond Tooth Gertie's.

A heritage-oriented casino and entertainment attraction that combines regulated gaming with Gold Rush-era theatricality and community tourism in Dawson City.

• Gaming · 1971

  Casino gaming

  The core offering is a traditional casino floor built around table games and electronic gaming. Reported games include blackjack, roulette, poker, red dog poker, and slot machines. The venue has also featured a money wheel incorporating Canadian bills, reinforcing its local identity. The gaming experience is presented within a historic Dawson City setting rather than a purpose-built contemporary casino complex.

• Live entertainment

  Daily vaudeville show

  Diamond Tooth Gertie's stages a recurring vaudeville-style performance inspired by Dawson City's Gold Rush-era dancehall culture. The show draws on the persona of Gertie Lovejoy, the historical figure associated with the venue's name, and complements the casino's gaming offer with music, theatrical presentation, and period atmosphere.

• Heritage tourism · 1971

  Historic tourism venue

  The property itself is an attraction for visitors interested in Dawson City's architectural and Klondike history. Its operation in the former Arctic Brotherhood Hall, together with themed entertainment and gaming, creates an experience that connects present-day tourism with the city's Gold Rush narrative.

• 2015

  Heritage designation reinforces the venue's cultural roleOther

  Background

  The casino operates in a building with a history extending back to the Arctic Brotherhood's 1901 hall.

  Action taken

  Diamond Tooth Gertie's was declared a Municipal Heritage Site.

  Aftermath

  The designation recognized the property's architectural and community significance alongside its continuing role as a casino and visitor attraction.

  Source

• 1971

  Move casino operations into the historic Arctic Brotherhood HallStrategy

  Background

  The Klondike Visitors Association had previously organized casino nights aboard the S.S. Keno after obtaining a special gambling licence.

  Action taken

  The town leased the former Arctic Brotherhood Hall to the association, which established a permanent casino and entertainment venue under the Diamond Tooth Gertie's name.

  Aftermath

  The move created a long-running Dawson City attraction combining gaming, live performance, and Gold Rush-themed heritage tourism.

  Source

1. 1Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall official websitediamondtoothgerties.ca