Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto
The newest large-format resort in Ontario, purpose-built east of Toronto.
out of 10
Overview
Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto — Pickering to everyone who lives near it — is the most recently built large casino hotel in Ontario, and it shows in ways both good and bad. The floor is bright, well-ventilated and laid out with modern sightlines; the surroundings are a highway interchange.
The numbers are serious: around 2,700 slot machines, roughly a hundred gaming tables, a 275-room hotel tower and a 5,000-capacity arena venue on the same site. For volume of gaming positions it rivals anything in the province outside Niagara Falls.
Its natural audience is the eastern GTA. Thirty-five minutes from downtown Toronto without traffic, directly off Highway 401, with far cheaper rooms than the Niagara corridor. As a destination in itself it is thinner — there is nothing to walk to — but as a purpose-built gaming resort it is the most modern in the country.
The casino floor
What is actually in the room, category by category. Counts are approximate and shift as machines are rotated — we last checked this property in July 2026.
Slots & slot machines
Around 2,700 modern slot machines, the newest large bank of cabinets in Ontario, with generous spacing and clear high-limit zoning.
Table games
Roughly 100 gaming tables — blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps and card games, with a broad spread of minimums that stays open later than most Ontario floors.
Poker room
A modern poker room with daily cash games and a tournament calendar.
Sportsbook
A large sportsbook lounge with a screen wall and dedicated seating.
Live casino
Full live dealer pit plus an extensive bank of electronic table terminals.
High rollers & VIP
High-limit rooms for slots and tables with host service, private cage and 24/7 VIP service for qualifying players.
Hotel & resort
The attached tower carries roughly 275 rooms and suites in a contemporary style — clean lines, dark wood, good beds, better soundproofing than the older Ontario properties. There is a fitness centre and spa services, and the whole site connects under cover, which matters given there is nowhere to walk to outside.
On site
- approx. 275 rooms and suites
- Spa services and fitness centre
- 5,000-capacity Arena entertainment venue
- Meeting and event space
- Covered connection between hotel, casino and venue
Dining
Where to eat without leaving the property. Descriptions are our own; nothing here is paid placement.
The Rec Room
A large entertainment-and-dining venue on site — the family-facing side of the complex.
Signature restaurant
The property's upscale room, steak-and-seafood in format.
Casual dining and bars
A food hall of counters and a couple of bars on the casino level.
Entertainment
The on-site arena venue holds around 5,000 for concerts and events and programmes regularly, and The Rec Room adds bowling, games and screens for visitors who are not on the casino floor.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 888 Durham Live Avenue, Pickering, ON L1W 0C2 |
| Gaming age | 19+ (Ontario) |
| Casino hours | Open daily; among the later-running floors in the province. |
| Dress code | Casual throughout; smart casual in the signature restaurant. |
| Parking | Large free surface and structure parking plus valet. |
| Getting there | Directly off Highway 401 at Church Street, roughly 35 minutes east of downtown Toronto. Pickering GO station is a short taxi ride. |
Pros and cons
What works
- Newest and best-ventilated large floor in Ontario
- Free parking and cheaper rooms than the Niagara corridor
- Close enough to Toronto for a one-night trip
- Genuinely good sportsbook and poker room
What does not
- Nothing within walking distance — the setting is a highway interchange
- Lacks the view or the character of the older resorts
- Weekend rates rise sharply on arena event nights
Verdict
The most convenient large casino hotel for anyone in the Greater Toronto Area, and the most modern gaming floor in the province. Choose it for the floor and the price, not for the location.
