About 425 workers at Casino Regina set up a picket line Thursday night. (CBC)

A picket line went up Thursday night at Casino Regina as workers went on strike to back demands for an improved collective agreement.

About 425 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents dealers and other gaming workers, are involved.

Another 300 employees provide the casino's food and beverage service and are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

Their contract talks have also hit an impasse. They aren't on strike, but union leaders said members would not cross a picket line.

Casino Regina is one of two gaming venues owned by a Saskatchewan Crown corporation. The Moose Jaw Casino is unaffected by the labour dispute.

Managers at Casino Regina have said they will keep the operation open, on reduced hours, although not all games will be available.

Wages and the union's demand for a premium for working nights are the key issues in the dispute.

"We have a lot of single-parent families working here and they're having a heck of a time making it from paycheque to paycheque," said Fran Mohr, a cashier at the casino and spokeswoman for the union local. "We're just asking for a night premium."

In a statement, management said it would do what it could to keep the Casino open and encouraged the union to return to the bargaining table.

The striking workers' previous collective agreement expired about a year ago.

The strike is the first labour disruption in the 14-year history of the casino.