As I posted the breaking news on Facebook, Toronto will finally have a poker room. Great Canadian Casino Toronto will have 30 tables on a private floor, large tournaments, a combined Bad Beat Jackpot with Great Blue Heron Casino, & 4 tables in a semi-private area for higher stakes games & final tables! Welcome to Poker Boom 2.0.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/pokerontario/posts/827412832146981/
17 days later
Yep, it was all over Reddit a while ago and a twitter post from an employee mid May that was removed soon after.. At that point it was posted about a rake of 10% up to $15. even at 1/3... That's nuts..
I'll probably check it out over the summer at some point. I'll post a review if/when I do.
While I'm excited to have a nearby room available again, I have serious doubts of how viable it will be. I've visited the new casino a few times now, and even at midnight on a Tuesday night the table games ($25 minimum) are all very packed. Baccarat tables are often $200 minimum. Anyone who wants to play $5 games sits at the electronic tables. This place is making hand-over-fist money right now and there's no way they can match that kind of take in a poker room. So if they're going to run it, and it's no doubt going to be packed, they're going to rake the heck out of it in my opinion. I can easily see it being 2-5 and up, and maybe add some electronic poker later for the 1-3 crowd. While I hope I'm wrong, I just don't see it happening.
17 days later
I posted an update that the Woodbine/GCCRT poker room will try to open next week. They will start with only 4-5 tables & gradually expand. The 10% max rake could be $15, higher than the CNE Casino's $14.




Soft opening is Monday the 14th at noon. Walk-in only, "limited tables," and no bad-beat jackpot initially.
2jax;c-424305 wroteSoft opening is Monday the 14th at noon. Walk-in only, "limited tables," and no bad-beat jackpot initially.
I was going on Monday but I have just found out that the max rake is $20! :o
trigs;c-424224 wroteI'll probably check it out over the summer at some point. I'll post a review if/when I do.
You can drive to my house, pay me $10, I'll kick you in the nuts and you will able to drive home and still be farther ahead.