Casino City’s Friday Five: WSOP Main Event and Alberta launch edition

17 July 2026

By Dan Ippolito

Alberta iGaming launched on Monday, and we focused on several topics to help clear up questions that players may have. Elsewhere, the WSOP Main Event final table is officially set, DraftKings was approved for multi-state poker, Arizona sent out several cease-and-desist letters, and Thunder Valley Casino Resort made a millionaire with Pai Gow Poker.

Let’s begin with a table game win:

5. $1.1 million Pai Gow Poker win lands at Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Thunder Valley Casino Resort in California celebrated a historic milestone Wednesday afternoon when a longtime guest became the casino’s first $1 million table games winner, taking home a $1,131,400 jackpot playing Face-Up Pai Gow Poker.

When asked what he planned to do with the money, his answer wasn’t what anyone expected.
“I’m going to buy a new garage door.”

Then he and his wife, who have been longtime Thunder Valley guests, headed to High Steaks Steakhouse for dinner, just as they had planned.

Pai Gow WOWWWWWW! Big shoutout to this lucky winner of a $1,131,400 Face Up Pai Gow jackpot. pic.twitter.com/AeqL8mtxn5

— Thunder Valley Casino Resort (@Thunder_Valley) July 15, 2026

4. Arizona issues cease-and-desist orders to multiple operators
Earlier this week, the Arizona Department of Gaming announced it had issued cease-and-desist orders to the following entities: BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.

Each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to the following felonies: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering.

Under the cease-and-desist orders, the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona, whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise, and to refrain from any future illegal gambling operations in the state.

3. DraftKings approved for multi-state poker launch
On Monday, the Michigan Gaming Control Board announced that DraftKings launched multi-state internet poker between Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey on 8 July.

DraftKings’ poker platform is operating in Michigan through the Bay Mills Indian Community, which is serving as the Michigan operator partner for the poker product.

Following a thorough review, the MGCB determined that DraftKings meets all regulatory requirements to conduct multi-state internet poker.

2. Top 10 facts about Alberta iGaming launch
Monday marked the beginning of the new iGaming market in Alberta and many big-name operators are bringing their products to the newly opened market in the Canadian province.

Here are just a few of the topics we covered on launch day:

Prediction markets
Prediction markets are not a core part of Alberta’s launch framework, which is focused on online casino and sports betting. Any future move to permit event-based trading products would require separate regulatory approval and may come with strict limits on the types of outcomes allowed.

For players who want to get involved with prediction markets in Alberta, Kalshi’s Wealthsimple Predict app is available, but it comes with some rules.

You are only legally allowed to trade on economic indicators, financial markets, and climate trends. The law does prohibits trading on political outcomes and sporting events.

Who is going live?
Dozens of companies have been approved or registered to join the market. Nearly 50 operator sites are working through licensing, with 22 launching alongside Alberta's regulated market. The list includes many familiar industry names.

Here are just a few of the operators players will find in Alberta:

Eligible customers in Alberta will have access to DraftKings’ suite of sports betting and online casino offerings. Players will be able to enjoy same-game parlays, live in-game wagering, and special odds boosts on DraftKings Sportsbook alongside thousands of casino games, exclusive slot titles, and progressive jackpots across Golden Nugget Online Gaming and DraftKings Casino.

FanDuel Canada announced an exclusive partnership with Light & Wonder, bringing the popular Huff N' Puff slot franchise to players in Alberta.

Caesars’ trio of online platforms will each bring a digital experience to Alberta’s regulated online gaming market. Caesars Palace Online Casino and Horseshoe Online Casino will offer a wide selection of slot titles, table games and live dealer games. Caesars Sportsbook will offer players access to online sports betting and casino gaming.

1. WSOP Main Event reaches the final table
The 2026 World Series of Poker $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em World Championship - better known as the Main Event - has officially reached its final table. Out of a colossal field of 9,208 hopefuls, only nine elite players remain, each guaranteed a prize of at least $1,000,000.

These nine survivors will now go on a brief hiatus before returning to the felt on 3 August for a three-day battle to crown the undisputed World Champion of Poker, who will walk away with the iconic Main Event gold bracelet and $10,000,000.

This edition of the World Series of Poker also saw several records fall.

There was a new record for the total number of entries in a single WSOP series with 251,899 entries. It also featured 1,368 entries to Event #68 $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship – the largest Ladies event in live tournament poker history.

The final table is set.

Only nine players remain in the hunt for poker’s most prestigious title. Hear what this career-defining moment means to each finalist before cards are back in the air.

The WSOP Main Event final table will air LIVE on ESPN2 August 3rd, with coverage… pic.twitter.com/v7Hkq9BJPM

— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 16, 2026