WSOP and GGPoker are heading to Toronto, Ontario for the second year in a row.
Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto announced this week that GGPoker, the new owners of the World Series of Poker, has become the official sponsor of The Poker Room at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto.
As part of this collaboration, the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto will serve Ontario poker players ass the exclusive venue for hosting WSOP tournaments, including prestigious WSOP Circuit ring events.
This partnership is a win for Ontario online poker players, as GGPoker remains the exclusive platform for players looking to qualify online for WSOP Toronto Circuit.
Adding to the excitement, Toronto also happens to be the home base for GGPoker and its iconic global ambassador, Daniel Negreanu, who is likely to join the action during the WSOP Toronto festival.
“We are excited to partner with Great Canadian to elevate the poker experience in Toronto,” said Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker in a press release. “This partnership will combine the best of live and online poker, offering players premier tournaments, unmatched rewards and solidifying Ontario as a hub for world class poker.”
The announcement follows the successful debut of the WSOP Toronto festival during the Spring of 2024 in partnership with GGPoker. Held over 11 days in March, the first-ever WSOP Toronto festival attracted over 6,000 combined entries and generated more than $5.5 million in total prize money across eight ring events.
The CAD $2,000 buy-in Main Event drew 1,600 entries, creating a massive $2.8 million prize pool. Notably, 324 players won their spots online through both the GGPoker.com and GGPoker Ontario platforms. Meanwhile, the CAD $3,500 High Roller event delivered a prize pool exceeding $1 million.
The final prize pools surpassed the organizers’ initial $3.9 million projection for the series. The tournament generated tremendous interest partly due to the rarity of live poker events in Toronto, and the number of entries could have been even higher if not for venue capacity constraints. Most events sold out well in advance.
Building on last year’s success, the Toronto WSOP Circuit festival is set to make a return. While the exact dates and schedule have yet to be announced, further details are expected soon, with the festival likely to take place again in the spring.
With GGPoker now at the helm, online qualifiers are expected to expand significantly, providing more opportunities for players to win their seats. However, this isn’t just a one-off partnership. As the official sponsor of The Poker Room at the Great Canadian Casino Resort, GGPoker will aim to keep the poker action alive year-round, with ongoing cash games and the possibility of the Circuit festival making additional appearances in the future.
The Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, which opened in June 2023, is situated on the same property as the Woodbine Racetrack. The resort boasts 328,000 square feet of gaming space, including high-limit table games and slot rooms, a 400-room hotel, diverse dining options, a wellness and fitness center, private event and meeting spaces, and a 5,000-seat theater. It also features a live entertainment venue in partnership with Live Nation.
“We’re thrilled to partner with GGPoker to deliver a world-class poker experience,” said Michael Kim, Executive Vice President, Great Canadian Entertainment in a press release. “This collaboration ups the ante on Toronto’s poker offerings giving players access to the top tournaments and rewards, and cements Great Canadian Toronto as the go-to destination for a world-class poker experience in the city.”
Addressing Capacity Issues
Last year, the series faced a rocky start with long lines and extended wait times, resulting in some frustrated customers and negative feedback on social media. Additionally, some players expressed dissatisfaction with the venue’s rake pricing.
However, once the series began, these issues were resolved, and the events ran smoothly.
While WSOP, GGPoker, and the Great Canadian Casino Resort received praise for successfully hosting the festival, the venue faced criticism for its limited capacity, which fell short of the high demand. It remains to be seen whether GGPoker and WSOP will address these concerns, including the capacity limitations and long registration queues, for the upcoming festival.
