Toronto Poker Games: Where to Play Poker in Toronto?

Look:

If you want the most updated list of Toronto poker games, then this post is for you.

• Is poker legal in Ontario?
• Where to play poker in Toronto?
• What are the Ontario poker rooms worth checking out?

First things first, poker is legal in Canada, and yes there are a few places worth checking out.

Here, we will discuss the top 3 Toronto poker rooms ranked and what you might like about these places.

Without further ado, here’s the list of the best poker games in Toronto, Canada.

1. Toronto Poker Game Club (North York)

• Rake: $15 for $1/3 NLH; $20 for $2/5 NLH (freeroll, high hand, bad beat jackpot)
• Number of tables: 3 tables
• Games selection: Mostly $1/3 NLH and $2/5 NLH
• Opening hours: 12pm – 4am (every day, except Tuesday)
• Location: 526 Lawrence Ave W, North York, ON M6A 1A1
• Phone number: (416) 560-7946
• Driving distance from downtown Toronto: under 30 mins

Look:

This is one of the oldest poker clubs in Toronto that you'll come across. There's a reason why it remains to be the popular go-to place for poker players and there are a few things that makes them stand out.

Let's list the reasons you'll love this place:

1) It's close to Toronto.

2) Fast, professional dealers.

3) It runs almost daily and has great action.

4) Freerolls, high hands, and bad beat jackpot.

5) You may buy insurance in an all-in situation... NO OTHER PLACE DOES IT!

These are the top 5 reasons to love off the top of my head.

You'll also enjoy the crowd there, the host and the staff are amazing too. Plenty of action, even at the lower $1/3 stakes games.

You can also have kickback specials, where you may qualify for a rake back if you play for a long while (be sure to speak to management).

More importantly...

It has security measures in place, and has never had an unpleasant incident before.

Be sure to call the club at (416) 560-7946 to reserve your seat.

2. Casino Niagara (Niagara Falls)

• Session fee every 30 mins: $7 for $1/3 NLH; $8 for $2/5 NLH; $9 for $2/5 PLO; $9 for $5/10 NLH
• Number of tables: Over 20 tables
• Games selection: Mostly $1/3 NLH, $2/5 NLH, $5/10 NLH, and $2/5 PLO
• Opening hours: 12pm – 4am (every day)
• Location: 25705 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls, ON L2E6T3
• Phone number: (905) 353-7000
• Driving distance from downtown Toronto: about 1.5 hours

First things first…

Don’t confuse Casino Niagara with Fallsview Casino.

These are two different casinos (albeit located very close together), and while the poker games used to be at the Fallsview Casino a few years ago, they moved the poker room to Casino Niagara.

Many players were dissatisfied with the casino's decision, but this approach made the most financial sense for them. The casino's primary revenue comes from slot machines and house-banked games, so that is where they have focused their efforts.

Nonetheless, I still believe that the poker room at Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls is one of the the poker rooms in Ontario, owing to its excellent location, good customer service, and low rake.

In fact, Casino Niagara is the only casino in Ontario that charges a session fee rather than a rake per pot.

All players must pay a session fee every 30 minutes (coinciding with the dealer change), regardless of the stakes they are playing. For $1/$3 games, the fee is $7; for $2/$5, it's $8; and for $2/$5 Pot-Limit Omaha or $5/$10 No-Limit Hold'em, the fee is $9.

This is the most favorable arrangement you'll find across the province. The downside is that it's not exactly in Toronto, but ~1-1.5 hours away from the downtown area.

The casino has eighteen poker tables, most of which are dedicated to $1/$3 No-Limit Hold'em and $2/$5 games. Additional tables may open based on demand.

It's worth noting that for Omaha enthusiasts, the lowest-stakes PLO game offered is $2/$5, with a minimum buy-in of $200 and a maximum of $1,000.

3. Great Blue Heron (Port Perry)

• Rake: 10% up to $15 max
• Number of tables: 10 tables
• Games selection: Mostly Texas Hold’em
• Opening hours: 12pm – 4am (daily)
• Location: 21777 Island Rd, Port Perry, ON L9L 1B6, Canada
• Phone number: +1 905-985-4888 ext. 4481
• Driving distance from downtown Toronto: about an hour

The Great Blue Heron is a hotel that features a casino.

This modern facility aims to provide both comfort and excitement, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of downtown Toronto. 

The establishment has been operating for over 25 years and has recently undergone renovations to enhance the overall guest experience, whether visitors are there for gaming or a staycation.

The casino offers a variety of live table games and slot machines, catering to diverse gaming preferences. They provide numerous poker game variations, from Texas Hold'em to three and four-card poker.

The poker room rakes range from approximately 10% to $15, which is an important factor for players to consider. (They don't have freeroll or high hand promotions like Toronto Poker Game does though.)

While the Great Blue Heron is generally well-regarded, some patrons have noted that the poker room often has a significant number of vacant tables. This is reportedly due to a shortage of dealers, typically resulting in only two tables each for the $1/$3 and $2/$5 stakes.

As a consequence of the limited operational tables, guests can expect to wait for up to 2 hours or more to be seated on most days. For those pressed for time, it may be more prudent to explore other nearby poker venues.

Alternatively, the best approach would be to call ahead and reserve a spot, ensuring a more efficient and enjoyable poker experience at the Great Blue Heron.

Is there a poker room in Woodbine Casino?

Yes, there is a poker room in Woodbine Casino.

As part of the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Woodbine Casino has recently introduced a new poker room.

However...

While it was a highly anticipated poker room in Toronto, a lot of the players we know were disappointed. It has a high rake, lacks dealers, as well as them not knowing how to deal properly which tilts a lot of folks.

It's the reason we didn't include this place in our top 3 list despite it being very close to Toronto.

How to find local poker games?

Let’s face it.

If you’re new to the place and you have no friends in the area yet, it will be harder to find genuinely good places to play poker in. But thanks to technology and the Internet, you can now find lots of information about gaming sites even without going out.

You may check out some mobile apps that list poker rooms in your local region, just like Poker Atlas. Or, you can check out your community’s social media pages and scroll through or ask around.

Lastly, there’s a large poker database called The Hendon Mob where you can find lots of information about poker tournaments and their exact locations.

But if you know some local poker players, it’s also good to ask them because they might know some small-town places that are not listed online.

Where to play poker in Toronto?

If you want to know where to go whenever you’re in Toronto, here are some of the great places you can visit for poker games:

• Casino Niagara
• Great Blue Heron
• Toronto Poker Game Club

You may also check out Casino Rama in Orillia and CNE in Toronto.

(Though do keep in mind that the CNE Casino Toronto is good, it’s a seasonal thing and doesn’t open until August – September annually.)

So there you go...

Our top rated list of the best Toronto poker games that you can check out. Happy grinding!