Ontario Poker News August Update: Zachary Zaret Claims WSOP Gold for Canada; CNE Poker Room is Back!
Table Of Contents
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.
Live Poker News
During the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Ontario’s Zachary Zaret topped a 1,176-entry field, including poker pro Calvin Anderson in heads-up play, to win Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better for $248,245 and his first gold bracelet. It was the only bracelet won by an Ontario player this summer.
In the 2025 WSOP Main Event, which drew 9,735 players, the last Ontario player standing was Joshua Abiscott, who finished in 195th place for $60,000.
The CNE Poker Room is back and runs July 23–Sept 1, 2025. They don’t have a tournament schedule yet, but they always get a big turnout. Last year included NLH qualifiers and semi-finals, with a final prize pool of up to C$320,000.
They will be open daily from noon–6 a.m., except on September 1, when they will close early. Located in the Better Living Centre, the room features Texas hold’em, Omaha, Hold’em Bonus Poker, Spanish 21, 3-Card Poker, and more.
New Promo: Elements Brantford is running Fire Freeroll Hot Seat Draws (Aug 4–29) with three daily winners earning seats to a $10K freeroll on September 7. Be seated in the room during the 1 p.m., 5 p.m., and 9 p.m. draws to qualify.
Over at Casino Niagara, they will hold their $1,000 Summer Main Event from August 5-9. There will be two starting flights at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Day 2 will then take place on Thursday, August 7, and a Day 3 finale, if needed, will play out on Friday, August 8 inside the Casino Niagara Poker Room. Entry/Re-Entry will be open until the end of the second break.
Ontario Live Poker Tournament Schedule
| Date | Venue | Event | Time (EDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, August 5 | Pickering Casino Resort | Two $200 Turbo No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM & 8:30PM |
| Tuesday, August 5 | Casino Niagara | $1,000 Summer Main Event Day 1A | 12:30PM |
| Wednesday, August 6 | Casino Niagara | $1,000 Summer Main Event Day 1B | 12:30PM |
| Wednesday, August 6 | Casino Niagara | $275 No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM |
| Thursday, August 7 | Casino Niagara | $1,000 Summer Main Event Day 2 | 12:30PM |
| Friday, August 8 | Casino Niagara | $1,000 Summer Main Event Final Day | 12:30PM |
| Friday, August 8 | Caesars Windsor | $200 Friday Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em | 6:15PM |
| Sunday, August 10 | Caesars Windsor | $150 No Limit Hold'em | 2:15PM |
| Wednesday, August 13 | Pickering Casino Resort | $750 Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM |
| Wednesday, August 13 | Casino Niagara | $275 No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM |
| Friday, August 15 | Casino Niagara | $340 No Limit Hold'em $100 Bounty | 4:30PM |
| Friday, August 15 | Caesars Windsor | $200 Friday Night Turbo No Limit Hold'em | 6:15PM |
| Sunday, August 17 | Caesars Windsor | $150 No Limit Hold'em | 2:15PM |
| Tuesday, August 19 | Pickering Casino Resort | Two $200 Turbo No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM & 8:30PM |
| Wednesday, August 20 | Casino Niagara | $275 No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM |
| Friday, August 22 | Casino Niagara | $340 No Limit Hold'em $100 Bounty | 4:30PM |
| Friday, August 22 | Caesars Windsor | $200 Friday Deep Stack No Limit Hold'em | 6:15PM |
| Sunday, August 24 | Caesars Windsor | $150 No Limit Hold'em | 2:15PM |
| Wednesday, August 27 | Pickering Casino Resort | $750 Bounty No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM |
| Wednesday, August 27 | Casino Niagara | $275 No Limit Hold'em | 12:30PM |
| Friday, August 29 | Casino Niagara | $340 No Limit Hold'em $100 Bounty | 4:30PM |
| Friday, August 29 | Caesars Windsor | $495 End of Month Double Up No Limit Hold'em | 6:15PM |
| Sunday, August 31 | Caesars Windsor | $150 No Limit Hold'em | 2:15PM |
Shared Liquidity & Legal Push
Attorney General Doug Downey has appealed to the Ontario Court of Appeal seeking legal authority to allow shared liquidity with the U.S. and beyond. If successful, this could let PokerStars, GGPoker, 888poker, and others rejoin international networks.
A ruling could reshape the Ontario market, potentially opening doors for Alberta and Quebec. For more, check out this piece at legalsportsbetting.com.
Ontario Online Poker News
Over at PokerStars Ontario, players can now qualify for the NAPT Las Vegas stop (running Nov 3–12 at Resorts World) through the new Silver Pass path:
- Start from just $3 via Spin & Go’s or Weekly Phase Qualifiers.
- Win a Silver Pass (valued at $3,000 CAD), which includes:
- Entry to the exclusive $100K 'Tournament of Stars' in Las Vegas.
- 7-night hotel stay at Resorts World.
- $800 travel credit.
Qualify through weekly Sunday Specials or climb up through the step system.
As for BetMGM Ontario/partypoker /bwin, their top weekly events include:
- Daily C‑Note – nightly NLH at 7:05 PM
- High Roller – Tues & Thurs @ 7:05 PM
- Super Sunday – multi-buy-in series with $35K+ in guarantees
Their Daily Legends Series offers bounty-focused MTTs with nightly events like the $50 Legend Bounty, as well as monthly leaderboard prizes such as bonus cash, free spins, and entries.
888poker Ontario is well-known for its Mystery Bounty Series, XL Festivals, and daily micros. There are also member perks through the 888poker Club with freerolls and loyalty rewards. When it comes to online mystery bounty tournaments, you’d be hard-pressed to find better events than on 888poker.
Meanwhile, GGPoker Ontario is still #1 in player traffic, offering excellent daily/weekly MTTs:
- Ontario MILLION$ – $50 buy-in, $100K GTD, flights daily with Sunday final.
- GGMasters Ontario – $150 buy-in, $50K GTD, freezeout every Sunday.
WSOP Online Bracelet Series for August 2025 has not yet been officially announced. However, Playground WSOP-C Satellites are live:
- Target-stack qualifiers for multiple events.
- Sub-$10 step satellites run daily.
The WSOP Circuit Montreal live poker festival runs August 18 through September 2 at Playground. The qualifiers are running now and will gain you entry into the $2,500 buy-in, CAD $2.2M GTD WSOPC Main Event.
- Day 1 Flights: Day 1A on August 28, Day 1B on August 29, and Day 1C on August 30
- Day 2: August 31
- Final Day: September 1
This edition features $5,000,000 in guaranteed prize pools across 18 official World Series of Poker Circuit ring events, giving players the opportunity to compete for significant prize money and the chance to win a prestigious WSOP-C gold ring.
WSOP Circuit Montreal Schedule
| Date | Time | Event Number | Buy-in | Tournament | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 18, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 1A | $500,000 |
| 1:00 PM | #2 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #2: $400 No Limit Hold'em 6-Max | $35,000 | |
| Tuesday, August 19, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 1B | $500,000 |
| 1:00 PM | #3 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #3: $400 No Limit Hold'em Progressive Bounty | $40,000 | |
| Wednesday, August 20, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 1C | $500,000 |
| 1:00 PM | #4 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #4: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mega Stack | $35,000 | |
| Thursday, August 21, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 1D | $500,000 |
| 1:00 PM | #5 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #5: $400 No Limit Hold'em Bounty ($100) | $40,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $150 | $150 WSOP-C Montreal The Colossus Milestone (205K) Satellite | 5 Seats | ||
| Friday, August 22, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 1E | $500,000 |
| 1:00 PM | #6 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #6: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty Day 1A | $200,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| Saturday, August 23, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 1F | $500,000 |
| 1:00 PM | #6 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #6: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty Day 1B | $200,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| Sunday, August 24, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #1 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #1: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mini Main Event Day 2 | $500,000 |
| 9:00 AM | #7 | $1,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #7: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em The Colossus Day 1A | $800,000 | |
| 1:00 PM | #6 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #6: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty Day 1C | $200,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $150 | $150 WSOP-C Montreal The Colossus Milestone (205K) Satellite | 5 Seats | ||
| Monday, August 25, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #8 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #8: $400 No Limit Hold'em Senior Event (50+) | $30,000 |
| 9:00 AM | #7 | $1,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #7: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em The Colossus Day 1B | $800,000 | |
| 1:00 PM | #6 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #6: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty Day 2 | $200,000 | |
| 3:00 PM | #9 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #9: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mega Stack Turbo | $50,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $150 | $150 WSOP-C Montreal The Colossus Milestone (205K) Satellite | 5 Seats | ||
| Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | 8:00 AM | $150 | $150 WSOP-C Montreal The Colossus Milestone (205K) Satellite | 5 Seats | |
| 9:00 AM | #7 | $1,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #7: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em The Colossus Day 1C | $800,000 | |
| 12:00 PM | $150 | $150 WSOP-C Montreal The Colossus Milestone (205K) Satellite | 5 Seats | ||
| 3:00 PM | #10 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #10: $400 No Limit Hold'em Ladies Event | $20,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $150 | $150 WSOP-C Montreal The Colossus Milestone (205K) Satellite | 5 Seats | ||
| Wednesday, August 27, 2025 | 9:00 AM | #7 | $1,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #7: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em The Colossus Day 1D | $800,000 |
| 4:00 PM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 10 Seats | ||
| Thursday, August 28, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #11 | $2,500 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #11: $2,500 No Limit Hold'Em Main Event Day 1A | $2,200,000 |
| 9:00 AM | #7 | $1,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #7: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em The Colossus Day 2 | $800,000 | |
| 10:00 AM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| 1:00 PM | #12 | $600 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #12: $600 Pot Limit Omaha | $50,000 | |
| 4:00 PM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| Friday, August 29, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #11 | $2,500 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #11: $2,500 No Limit Hold'Em Main Event Day 1B | $2,200,000 |
| 10:00 AM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| 4:00 PM | $300 | $300 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event Milestone (280K) Satellite | 10 Seats | ||
| Saturday, August 30, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #11 | $2,500 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #11: $2,500 No Limit Hold'Em Main Event Day 1C | $2,200,000 |
| 1:00 PM | $600 | $600 WSOP-C Montreal High Roller Milestone (330K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| Sunday, August 31, 2025 | 7:00 AM | $600 | $600 WSOP-C Montreal High Roller Milestone (330K) Satellite | 4 Seats | |
| 8:00 AM | #11 | $2,500 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #11: $2,500 No Limit Hold'Em Main Event Day 2 | $2,200,000 | |
| 9:00 AM | #13 | $5,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #13: $5,000 Mega Stack High Roller Day 1 | $500,000 | |
| 11:00 AM | $600 | $600 WSOP-C Montreal High Roller Milestone (330K) Satellite | 4 Seats | ||
| 3:00 PM | #14 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #14: $400 No Limit Hold'em Progressive Bounty | $50,000 | |
| Monday, September 01, 2025 | 8:00 AM | #11 | $2,500 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #11: $2,500 No Limit Hold'Em Main Event Day 3 | $2,200,000 |
| 9:00 AM | #13 | $5,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #13: $5,000 Mega Stack High Roller Day 2 | $500,000 | |
| 11:00 AM | #15 | $1,000 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #15: $1,000 No Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty | $150,000 | |
| 3:00 PM | #16 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #16: $400 No Limit Hold'em | $30,000 | |
| Tuesday, September 02, 2025 | 9:00 AM | #17 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #17: $400 No Limit Hold'em Monster Stack | $40,000 |
| 3:00 PM | #18 | $400 | WSOP-C Montreal Event #18: $400 No Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty | $40,000 |
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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
