Canada has produced some poker’s best poker players such as 888poker Ambassador Parker “Tonkaaaa” Talbot, Mike Leah, and of course Daniel Negreanu, just to name a few. What you may not realize is that the country is also home to dozens of poker rooms.
Many of them may be regional in scope, but some have developed worldwide reputations. Here’s a look at five of the best poker rooms in Canada – in no particular order – spread throughout the “Great White North.”
Casino Regina
Located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, the casino opened in 1996. It is largely regarded as one of the best (if not the best) poker rooms in Western Canada. It’s open from Noon-4 a.m. daily and offers weekly poker tournament on Tuesdays and Wednesday.
“Test your skill against fellow poker fanatics of every level in our stained-glass-walled Poker Room,” their website boasts. Our Poker Dealers are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the game and will ensure your time at the table is Always Entertaining. Plus, you can earn Players Club Points by handing your Players Club card to the Poker Manager. Visit the Players Club Desk for your free membership.”
The room, which requires players be 19 years or older, also hosts poker tournament series like the Station Poker Classic, Diamond Poker Classic, and Harvest Poker Classic. The most recent of those was June’s Diamond Poker Classic, which was comprised of four tournaments. In the C$1,100 Main Event, Neil Anderson topped a field of 99 runners to win it for C$27,849 ($21,535).
Others who’ve done well at the casino are Jared Klimosko ($49,090), Troy Nisbet ($46,726), and Ryan Comely ($40,756), who are the three players atop the poker room’s all-time money list.
“As far as social atmosphere and action, Casino Regina is the best in the country for the poker games they offer,” said poker player Tyler Bonkowksi.
For more information, call The Poker Room at 306-787-2950.
Twitter: @casinoregina
Winnipeg’s Club Regent
Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Club Regent is an 18+ year old casino with a 16-table poker room. It’s open Noon-3 a.m. on Sundays, 1:15 p.m. – 3 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 1:15 p.m. – 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The non-smoking room offers jackpot promotions, televisions, auto shufflers, tableside food service, and WiFi, among other amenities. The tropical-themed casino itself is just one of two in Winnipeg with an attached event center and hotel.
“Sitting in the poker room reminded me of the Aztec Party scene from the movie House Bunny,” read one Yelp review on the room.
The room takes a 10 percent rake with a $5 cap, while in higher limit games hourly rates are available. On Tuesdays, the room offers a $60 tournament at 7:05 p.m. and on Thursdays a $100 tournament at the same time.
According to HendonMob, Shaner Yo currently leads the room’s all-time money list with $40,163, a good bit ahead of Anders Prokopowich, who sits second with $25,226.
The casino can be reached at (204) 957-2500.
Twitter: @Casinosofwpg
Casino Niagara
Located at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, which requires players be 19 years or old, the poker room is open 24/7 and has 26 tables, each with auto shufflers. One benefit of playing in this room is it’s a short walk away from Niagara Falls, a must for any first timer in town.
The property is partnered with Fallsview Casino, which is just down the street. That property used to have its own poker room before combining with Casino Niagara in 2017. That said, Fallsview does still host the annual World Poker Tour Fallsview Poker Classic.
Past winners of that prestigious tournament include Mike Leah (2018), Darren Elias (2017), David Ormsby (2016), Antony Zinno (2015), and Matthew Lapossie (2014).
The room has also minted several poker millionaires including Scott Clements ($1,727,362), Soren Turkewitsch ($1,329,344), and Glenn Witmer ($1,084,256), who are the top three on the venue’s all-time money list.
Call (905) 353-7000 or email SDutton@fallsviewcasinoresort.com for more information.
Twitter: @casinoniagara
Calgary’s Grey Eagle
Located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Grey Eagle Casino & Bingo is home to a 15-table room that’s open 24/7. It’s non-smoking, has plenty of TVs, and offers comps. However, it’s lacking auto shufflers, jackpots, tableside food and massage services.
The room offers primarily $1-$2 no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha cash games, but will spreader higher limits upon request. There are also daily tournaments at 11 a.m. and 7:15 p.m., plus a $300 NLH tournament the first Wednesday of every month and a $230 PLO tournament the third Wednesday of every month.
The venue is also well known for holding big tournaments like the C$2,500 DSPT Championships – part of the WPTDeepStacks – which is coming up in November. Speaking of that tournament, Duff Charette topped a field of 712 entries to win it in 2016 for C$284,095 ($210,478), which made him the poker room’s all-time money leader.
A poster of Facebook called “Andy DoubleYou” explained it best when he said: “Good lodging. Large event center. Close to amenities. Players are bad.”
Call the room at (403) 385-3796 or email info@greyeaglecasino.ca for more information.
Twitter: @pokergreyeagle
Playground Poker Club
At the top of this article we said this list was in no particular order, but let’s be clear, the Playground Poker Club in Kahnawake, Quebec just outside Montreal is number one. It’s not just the best in Canada bust has established itself as one of the world’s premier poker destinations.
It’s not a casino but rather a dedicated cardroom complete with over 70 tables, a restaurant, bar, and every poker amenity you can think of. The room, which opened in 2010, hosts major tournament festivals all the time including the World Series of Poker International Circuit, and the WPT. They also have over 20 daily-type tournaments each week.
“Playground Poker Club has all of the amenities on-site to provide a world-class poker experience to anyone who comes through the front doors,” their website states. “This all starts with some of the best-trained dealers and floor staff in the industry. Our team spreads games 24/7 on freshly felted tables while players sit in the industry’s most comfortable poker chairs as they play. A professional wait staff serves beverages and food from The Rail Coal Fire Bistro, located within the Playground complex itself, and a small army of registered massage therapists ensures that everyone can play in total comfort, no matter how long the session.”
As of the middle of September, there’s also a $1.1+ million Bad Beat Jackpot, which required quad tens be beaten.
“You feel like a fish/tourist for touting Playground so much because of the high rake but despite that it's actually the closest thing to a poker paradise that I've ever seen,” said poker player Matt Sikorski. “Maybe add a sportsbook and a hotel (the latter is in the works) and it's nearly perfect.”
Call 1-450-635-7653 or email info@playgroundpoker.ca for more information.
Twitter: @PlaygroundPoker
What About Vancouver?
At one point in time Vancouver had a robust poker scene. While there are still several rooms there that offer poker, none are considered among the country’s best. Years ago, River Rock Casino played host to a WSOP Circuit stop, but now it’s downsized to just five tables, the same number as Cascades Casino.
Meanwhile, Parq Vancouver offers eight tables while Grand Villa Casino has the most with 11 tables. All the rooms offer cash games, but only Parq Vancouver has tournaments.
“I live in Vancouver and I believe all our poker rooms are ranked at the bottom of the list,” said Robert Cat. “This city is full of crap when it comes to decent poker rooms.”
While the poker scene in Vancouver isn’t what it once was, the potential exists for it to return to its former glory. Only time will tell.
