The news around the just-opened Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto has been fast and furious of late, starting with the official opening of the gaming floor on June 20.
And the facility’s poker room – an in-person alternative to the Ontario online poker that’s widely available – will soon be the latest gaming option.
Last week, Great Canadian Entertainment announced that the Poker Room at Great Canadian Toronto will open later this summer, and on Aug. 1 the new 400-room hotel will be available for bookings. They are both key parts of the $1 billion property.
People can make reservations for the hotel by visiting the Great Canadian Toronto website.
Poker Room Will Have 30 Tables
The poker room will cater to the market’s vibrant poker community, with 30 tables on a private floor, electronic table games and slots available for those waiting, and “No Limit” and “Limit” stakes at varying levels.
Those who have been playing online casino Ontario games since the legal, regulated market launched in April 2022 will no doubt be familiar with all types of poker.
The Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto will host larger poker tournaments. Discerning players will also be able to access four tables situated in a semi-private area, for higher stake games and final tables.
The new, modern-looking resort encompasses 328,000 square feet of gaming space, including over 4,800 slot machines and 145 table games. It is the largest casino in Canada and one of the largest in North America.
The introduction of poker at Great Canadian Toronto is also meant to tie in poker players at Great Blue Heron Casino and Hotel in Port Perry, another property that Great Canadian Entertainment operates. Both properties will offer entry into some of Canada’s largest in-person poker tournaments, which should solidify both properties as premier poker destinations for local and international poker enthusiasts.
Those who wish to sharpen their skills online before entering an in-person event can do so with various Ontario casino apps.
Great Blue Heron Owners React To Developments
It will be interesting to see how the owners of Great Blue Heron, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN) – whose leadership has been very critical of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, which manages the casinos – think about all of this. The Mississaugas have argued that new casinos in Toronto and Pickering are chipping away at their market share, and that an agreement signed in 2016 with OLG hasn’t been honoured.
The leadership of MSIFN says the Great Blue Heron hasn’t been receiving the same level of attention as the other casinos.
“I want the Great Blue Heron to have an identity, to have a have a soul again,” MSIFN chief Kelly LaRocca said. “It was very well managed and well run for decades, and had a loyal following, and we want to get that back and keep people happy and entertained in a responsible, enjoyable fashion.
“When I compare it to what's being offered at Pickering and Woodbine, it's really no comparison. They are dwarfing our facility in terms of what they offer, both insofar as gaming positions and gaming offerings are concerned, but also in other amenities such as buffets and restaurants and other players’ advantages.”
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