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I’m Kyle Anderson, PokerNews ambassador and Ontario resident. Here is an update on everything that’s both happened and is coming up in the Ontario poker world.
Remember, ON players can legally play real money poker in Ontario, so PokerNews has come up with a list of the very best online poker sites in the Canadian province. Access real poker sites and play different games with poker players within the state.
What are the big issues and stories on everyone’s minds? Let’s get into it.
Big News
So the biggest story is that the Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled that Ontario-regulated gaming sites can legally allow players to compete with people outside Canada.
It was a 4–1 decision, and it basically clears the legal roadblock around shared liquidity, the thing that’s been holding Ontario back since the closed-pool model launched in 2022.
Now this doesn’t mean cross-border poker goes live tomorrow. Regulators still need to create the framework, negotiate agreements, and figure out licensing. But this is the first real momentum we’ve had in years.
We don’t know whether they will return to global pools, merge with the US, or stay in Ontario, but there is reason to be hopeful.
Live Poker News
The WSOP Circuit was back at Playground Poker Club.
The stop kicked off on November 3 and ran through November 18 with over $6 million CAD in guaranteed prize pools. The Main Event buy‑in was $2,500 CAD, and there are 18 official ring events. The stop wrapped up in Montreal with some massive fields and massive payouts. Here are the highlights:
| Event | Winner | Prize (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Event#1: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mini Main Event | Matthew Aubin Gearey | $83,670 |
| Event#2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mega Stack | Abdul Ghafar Hayam | $17,029 |
| Event#3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Progressive Bounty | Sikander Rajwade | $9,501 |
| Event#4: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty | Othman Koubaa | $11,791 |
| Event#5: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Bounty | Daniel Lafleur | $12,386 |
| Event#6: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty | Taran Singh Parmar | $24,775 |
| Event#7: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Progressive Bounty | Robert Renaud | $21,002 |
| Event#8: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Seniors | Micheal J Hudson | $15,367 |
| Event#9: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em “The Colossus” | Fenghua Cai | $142,847 |
| Event#10: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mega Stack Turbo | Danny Li | $27,899 |
| Event #11: $2,500 Main Event | Kliment Tarmakov | $481,500 |
| Event#12: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha | Behnam Esfahanizadeh | $31,816 |
| Event#13: $400 Ladies Event | Lise Cormier | $6,170 |
| Event#14: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Progressive Bounty | Aaron Parsons | $20,000 |
| Event#15: $5,000 NLH Mega Stack High Roller | Dylan Bryce Laird | $194,206 |
| Event#16: $400 Mixed PLO/NLH 3 Lives | Weldon Ward | $16,930 |
| Event#17: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty | Michael Khan | $35,842 |
| Event#18: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty | Jean-Bernard Audet | $14,860 |
*Winner photos courtesy of WSOP.
Ontario Live Poker Tournament Schedule
There are plenty of live options throughout December.
Casino Niagara
- Wednesdays — $300 NLH Weekly — 12:30 PM
- Sundays — $400 NLH Weekly — 12:30 PM
- Last Sunday of the Month — $550 Monthly — 12:30 PM
Pickering Casino Resort
- Dec 4 — $575 NLH
- Dec 9 — Two $200 Turbos
- Dec 11 — $575 Bounty
Caesars Windsor
- Fridays & Sundays all month: $200 Friday Night Turbo at 6:15 PM & $150 Sunday NLH at 2:15 PM
Here are the major live events this month across Ontario—venue, event, and start time listed in chronological order.
| Date | Venue | Event | Time (EDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Dec 3 | Casino Niagara | $300 NLH – Weekly | 12:30 PM |
| Thu, Dec 4 | Pickering Casino Resort | $575 NLH | 12:30 PM |
| Fri, Dec 5 | Caesars Windsor | $200 Friday Night Turbo | 6:15 PM |
| Sun, Dec 7 | Casino Niagara | $400 NLH – Weekly | 12:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 7 | Caesars Windsor | $150 NLH | 2:15 PM |
| Tue, Dec 9 | Pickering Casino Resort | Two $200 Turbos | TBD |
| Wed, Dec 10 | Casino Niagara | $300 NLH – Weekly | 12:30 PM |
| Thu, Dec 11 | Pickering Casino Resort | $575 Bounty | 12:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 14 | Casino Niagara | $400 NLH – Weekly | 12:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 14 | Caesars Windsor | $150 NLH | 2:15 PM |
| Fri, Dec 19 | Caesars Windsor | $200 Friday Night Turbo | 6:15 PM |
| Sun, Dec 21 | Casino Niagara | $400 NLH – Weekly | 12:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 21 | Caesars Windsor | $150 NLH | 2:15 PM |
| Sat, Dec 27 | Caesars Windsor | $800 Holiday Big Bounty | 2:15 PM |
| Sun, Dec 28 | Casino Niagara | $400 NLH – Weekly | 12:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 28 | Caesars Windsor | $150 NLH | 2:15 PM |
Ontario Online Poker News
BetRivers Poker has publicly said they’re ready to expand into Ontario and Alberta, but only if shared liquidity becomes possible.
Their head of poker literally said they’re watching the regulatory situation closely, and Canada is a market they want — if cross-border pooling is allowed.
So operators are interested, the legal system is now open to it, and the only missing piece is regulatory follow-through. Both Phil Hellmuth and Phil Galfond are associated with BetRivers, so how cool would it be to see them in Ontario?
We also got a big Ontario result from 888poker’s KO Games Main Event.
“QueenOffs” shipped the $30,000 Mystery Bounty Main for $4,177, with $550 in bounties. The event drew 204 entries, and the top bounty was $3,000. It was a great score and solid turnout for a domestic Ontario event.
Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. PokerStars Ontario operates pursuant to an agreement with iGaming Ontario.
For more information, visit the Ontario Players Homepage
