It’s official! WSOP.ca will launch in Ontario on Friday, September 30 to become the fourth online poker network in the province. The go-live date was announced by GGPoker in an email sent to Ontario players yesterday.
As we already know, GGPoker has teamed up with the World Series of Poker brand to launch its Ontario-exclusive room under the domain WSOP.ca. GGPoker will power the software, which will boast the same features, promotions, and games as it does on the global site but under WSOP Ontario branding.
“With the introduction of provincial regulations for online gaming in Ontario, the World Series of Poker and GGPoker are joining forces to launch the first-ever WSOP.ca online poker room exclusively in Ontario on Friday, September 30,” the email sent to players on Monday stated.
- Exciting tournament action
- Quality software & mobile apps
- Online WSOP bracelet events
WSOP.ca/GGPoker Ontario — What We Know So Far:
- WSOP Ontario will launch on September 30
- GGPoker will power the software
- Player pool will be limited to Ontarians only
- Existing Ontarians will be migrated to the new WSOP.ca platform
- The operator will welcome players with new WSOP bonus offers
- WSOP Ontario will be the fourth online poker network in the province
- Ontario-only WSOP Online Circuit Series to run soon
Seamless Migration to WSOP Ontario Platform
According to an FAQ published on the new site, all existing Ontario players on GGPoker will be transitioned to the new WSOP.ca platform at the end of the month. The operator says that the migration to the WSOP Ontario platform will be seamless, and the same username and password will work.
Once the site launches, players must log in to their existing account on GGPoker, and will then be prompted to install the new WSOP Ontario download on their device. They can log in to the WSOP.ca client using the same GGPoker credentials.
Once players confirm their identity, their existing balance will be transferred to the new platform in the latest CAD currency. All the existing C$, T$, and tournament tickets will automatically be transferred to the new account. All players, including the existing ones, will be eligible for the welcome bonus and promotions.
However, once WSOP.ca launches, GGPoker will stop accepting players from Ontario. Ontario players will lose access to the global player pool, and the games will be limited to players from within the province. Each game will be denominated in CAD on the new site, and the game offerings will be pretty similar to what was previously offered — but not all games will make the cut.
The email also mentions that the new platform will feature “exclusive WSOP tournaments” and that WSOP Ontario will offer online satellites to live events. Indeed, as revealed exclusively by Canada Gaming Review, WSOP.ca will follow the launch with the first-ever Ontario WSOP Circuit Online series. An Ontario-exclusive online bracelet series could also take place — though it remains to be seen whether that will run this year or in 2023.
Fourth Online Poker Network to Enter the Regulated Province
WSOP Ontario will be the fourth online poker network and the sixth room in the newly regulated market. The first was 888poker, which launched on the same day the regulated market went live. A day later, BetMGM Poker Ontario entered the fray, and a week later, its sister brands partypoker and bwin, joined the network to create the province’s first multi-room online poker network. PokerStars Ontario was a bit late to the party, launching its operations in late June.
GGPoker was the only major poker room that continued serving Ontario players and letting them compete with the rest of the world. However, GGPoker/WSOP Ontario did not intend to enter the market this late. The pair obtained a license from the regulator back in March, and the room was initially planned for a launch in early April but had suffered unspecified delays.
Ontario Online Poker: September 20 Update
| Operator | AGCO License? | iGO Authorized? | Launch Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 888poker | Yes | Yes | Launched on April 4 |
| BetMGM | Yes | Yes | Launched April 5 |
| partypoker | Yes | Yes | Launched April 12 |
| bwin | Yes | Yes | Launched April 12 |
| PokerStars | Yes | Yes | Launched June 28 |
| GGPoker/WSOP | Yes | No | Launching September 30 |
This will change from next week, and the room will finally operate under its new license, which it had secured six months ago.
The launch of WSOP Ontario had been in the cards for a while, but recent changes to its license, reported by pokerfuse, showed that the pair was very close to going live.
WSOP Ontario is scheduled to go live on Friday, September 30. Learn more in our comprehensive WSOP Ontario Review.
