Canadian Poker Boom News: Tournaments, WSOP, and Negeanu Updates

Canada’s poker landscape is bustling with activity, driven by high-profile tournaments, online festivals, poker celebrities, and potential regulatory changes.

At Playground Poker Club in Kahnawake, the Moneymaker Tour is in full swing, attracting players with significant prize pools. The $300 Mega Stack, boasting a $250,000 guarantee, and the $500 Main Event, with a $500,000 guarantee, are highlights of the series, which runs through May.

Full details are available at Playground's website. Following the weekend's action in the Montreal area, there are several events coming up in the days ahead.

Recent X posts from @PlaygroundPoker announced the winners of early events, including David Azoulay in the $150 Monster Stack Turbo and Stanislav Touhlov in the $300 Mystery Bounty, both of whom secured titles after deals. The club is also promoting a meet-and-greet with poker legend Chris Moneymaker, one that will take place on May 17th.

In Ontario, the aftermath of the WSOP Circuit at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto (April 10th–22nd) continues to resonate. The event drew 8,203 entries across 11 ring events, generating a $7.56 million prize pool. Local player Pengxiang Ruan’s Main Event victory, earning $510,245, has an inspiring narrative for the common poker player. Ruan took down the Main Event despite no previous fame in the game.

Online poker is also thriving, particularly in Ontario. GGPoker Ontario’s ongoing Ontario Festival (May 4th to June 10th) offers $6 million in guarantees, as noted by GGPokerON. The Road to Vegas promotion, providing WSOP Main Event packages with buy-ins, accommodation, and travel for as low as $20, has generated significant buzz among players.

Having followed Negreanu's poker results in 2025 to date, I would expect the most success at the 2025 World Series of Poker to come in mixed games formats. He has won tournaments in that format, mainly due to his well-rounded skillset. Furthermore, the mixed games seem to reward talent a bit more often than the luck-box that No Limit Hold'em can be.