Dolphin Gaming Toronto Review for November 2024

Grab your dabbers and ride the waves to Dolphin Gaming, Scarborough’s number-one bingo hotspot. Far from the bright lights and rowdy crowds of downtown Toronto (‘far’ in this case being a 20-minute Uber), Dolphin Gaming is a boutique bingo hall with big baller jackpots. 

This family-run venture has been in operation for over 25 years, giving it plenty of time to perfect its bingo business. Carry on reading my thorough review of Dolphin Gaming to find out whether its bingo games are up to scratch, plus information on its location, atmosphere, amenities, customer service, security, and more. 

Despite its tropical-sounding name, Dolphin Gaming is slap-bang in the centre of the Golden Mile - a bustling commercial district - with no dazzling sea views or even an ocean-themed interior to validate its name. Instead, this industrial bingo hall is named after its earliest predecessor, an old restaurant called Boy on a Dolphin. You can even see the original mural of this very boy riding a (questionably drawn) dolphin behind the Runner 1 bingo station!

No on-site accommodation is provided at Dolphin Gaming. Nor is there any within walking distance of the venue. Sandwiched between a medical centre and a lawyer’s office, Dolphin Gaming’s brutalist aesthetic leaves much to be desired, so most out-of-towners stay further away and either drive in or take an Uber. Still, there’s plenty of free parking, and it’s a short drive from downtown Toronto.

The interior is far more welcoming than the exterior. After a big renovation just a few years ago, the venue now looks sleek, modern, and more like the boutique Vegas-style gaming hub it promises to its guests. Plus, it’s just a 15-minute car ride to the stunning Bluffer’s Park Beach, so you can keep an eye out for dolphins there instead (though I’d be impressed if you found any).

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) doesn’t permit slots inside bingo halls, meaning you won’t find any slot machines inside Dolphin Gaming. However, you will find an extremely similar type of game called Tap N Play. Since the gameplay unfolds on an electronic bingo device (you’ll see a small bingo game taking place in the corner of the screen), the OLG decided these machines are allowed inside Ontario’s bingo halls.

Fitted with over 100 of these slot-style instant play machines, the Tap N Play room provides a vintage Vegas-style gaming experience. That’s not to say the machines are outdated. In fact, the owners regularly switch out their machines and replace them with newer models and fresh releases. 

Each game comes with 3-5 price points from 27 cents to $12 per spin, and every one of Dolphin’s Tap N Play machines is connected to a shared progressive jackpot called TapTix. Proudly displayed on a huge overhead screen and on each individual game screen, the anticipation of hitting this ever-increasing jackpot puts the Vegas into these ‘Vegas-style’ machines. Yet, to hit the TapTix jackpot, you must wager the maximum bet per spin.

Of course, the primary focus of a bingo hall is its bingo games. At Dolphin Gaming, bingo games are held daily at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 10:15pm (plus 7pm Friday-Tuesday). They come in various price points to suit bettors of all budgets. Dolphin Gaming is a charitable bingo hall, meaning that part of its proceeds go towards helping the local community. 

Four specials at Dolphin offer incredible jackpots: the Accumulator ($2,000), the Dolphin ($5,000), the Super ($5,000), and the Progressive ($10,000). You can buy tickets for these jackpot specials in individual strips or purchase a package and get them included. 

Upik8 is one of Dolphin’s biggest selling points and is the most popular game with the bingo crowds. All you have to do is select 8 numbers on your e-bingo terminal or have them chosen randomly for you, and if you win in 20 numbers or less, you win the day’s progressive jackpot. Participating players regularly walk away with five- and six-figure checks, with a huge Upik8 payout occurring roughly once (though sometimes twice or thrice) a month. 

There is no on-site accommodation is provided at Dolphin Gaming. Nor is there any within walking distance of the venue. 

However, it is just a short drive to Downtown Toronto, so there are plenty of hotel options if you're looking for an overnight stay. 

One on-site snack bar with a decent menu serves simple options at Dolphin Gaming Casino, like burgers, pasta, salads, ribs, and fries in large portions. A recently renovated drinks bar within the Tap N Play room also serves a good range of craft beers and wines. Though small, I loved how sociable the bar was and that it’s situated right in the heart of the gaming floor. 

If nothing on the snack bar menu takes your fancy, nearby restaurants like August 8 Eglinton, Scotty Bons Caribbean Grill, and Minerva Tiffins serve up a delicious array of South Indian, Caribbean, and Asian fusion foods. With an all-you-can-eat dim sum and sushi banquet for less than forty bucks, August 8 is one of the best-value restaurants in the area. I ate so much I practically had to be California rolled out the door. (Get it? Like a California Roll? Okay, no more sushi jokes, got it).

One of the main benefits of a small, family-run business like Dolphin Gaming is the attention paid to providing high-quality customer service. Dolphin has a roster of super-friendly staff who make the place feel like home for the regulars and provide stellar service to the rest of us sporadic visitors and out-of-towners. The callers are well-spoken and move through the numbers at a good pace, while the security is friendly and works through till 4am to keep the place safe for night owls.

Whether you want to dab electronically or the old-fashioned way, every bingo package at Dolphin Gaming is cash only. The same goes for the Tap N Play machines. Fortunately, there are plenty of ATMs dotted around inside the venue to make funding your session a breeze. 

Those in the Tap N Play room can insert cash into the machine, which will then pay out any winnings via a cashout voucher. You can redeem this voucher at the Cashier or use it to play on another machine. Service at the Cashier is swift and hassle-free, but some of the machines do run out of voucher paper, which puts them out of action until a member of staff re-stocks them.

Meanwhile, all bingo transactions take place at the Cashier (except when purchasing dabbers, which are available at the snack bar). Just tell the staff which bingo package you want (or ask for help if you’re unsure), and they’ll set you up with either a paper program or an e-bingo terminal, depending on your preferences. 

Age restrictions: Anyone over 18 can enter the venue and play, but you must be 19 or over to buy or consume alcohol. Be prepared to present two forms of ID if you’re lucky enough to look younger than 25.

Cash machines: Since it’s a cash-only gaming centre, Dolphin provides plenty of cash machines in each area of the building. The good thing about cash-only gambling halls is that winnings are paid in cash too, which is obviously quicker than even the best payout casinos online. 

Smoking: Smoking is not prohibited indoors, but you can smoke outside the venue.

Dolphin Gaming is spread over one floor and is completely wheelchair accessible. There are taxi and transit drop-off spaces right at the entrance, and there are no tricky stairs to navigate.

Other than the progressive bingo specials and progressive TapTix jackpot, there aren’t really any bonuses or promotions to speak of at Dolphin Gaming Casino. Sometimes, Dolphin has prize giveaways during special events like Father’s Day, but these are usually just distributed during the regular bingo games. 

Other times, the venue puts on events like Family Day, where they’ll dish out free food. However, there are no loyalty programs or rewards schemes, so don’t expect much in the way of bonuses here. 

For a venue where bingo - a game usually associated with grey-haired grannies and unenthusiastic callers - is the focal point, Dolphin Gaming is a lively and atmospheric place to play. I recommend getting down early before your chosen bingo session, as these games are much more popular than you might imagine. Since it has been renovated, Dolphin Gaming is a much more modern place to play than its harsh exterior may initially suggest. 

The entire Dolphin Gaming venue is incredibly clean and well-maintained. Dr Clean Inc. regularly arrives to clean every nook and cranny of the facility, from the carpets to the washrooms and even pressure washing the parking lot. Since Dolphin is open from 8am seven days a week, the Dr Clean team arrives early in the morning before the casino opens to make sure it’s spick and span for customers. 

I was happy to see that Dolphin has a dedicated phone charging station, which you can use for a nominal fee. It locks your phone up inside the station to ensure that only you can open and retrieve it. You don’t expect to see these at smaller venues, so it was a nice surprise. 

⭐ Standout Moment

My standout moment was, for sure, witnessing a player winning the Upik8 jackpot. Rather than feeling bitterness and jealousy, the entire room erupted into shared excitement for the player in question, who’d just won $30,000. It turns out they were a well-known regular who’d been coming almost every week since Dolphin opened 20+ years ago, making it all the more special.

Dolphin Gaming is located just off the Don Valley Parkway in the Golden Mile commercial district, meaning it’s a fast and straightforward 20-minute drive from downtown Toronto. There is plenty of free on-site parking, and there are always taxis hanging around waiting to cart successful bingo players back to town to spend their hard-dabbed winnings. 

Though its views of the industrial park aren’t the most exciting, Dolphin’s location means that it is very high security. Most buildings have some sort of security footage, and the area is brightly lit, so you don’t need to worry about leaving your car parked outside. There is plenty of security at the door and inside the venue, so there are high levels of personal safety, too. 

If you’re looking for an upmarket restaurant or a romantic date spot, Dolphin Gaming’s snack bar isn’t the most picturesque dining experience. However, as far as providing a broad menu of reliable choices for players whose priority is not fancy food but bingo and gaming, Dolphin’s snack bar serves its purpose well. 

Obviously, it’s a bingo hall rather than a casino, so you’ll be disappointed if you come looking for table games or slot tournaments. However, the Tap N Play machines provide enough entertainment beyond the bingo hall. Plus, the progressive jackpots in both Tap N Play and bingo rooms add an extra layer of excitement to your gameplay. 

Overall, Dolphin Gaming leaves a much better impression on the inside than the outside. Its interior is extremely clean and well-presented, and the bingo hall has a great atmosphere. With its competitive pricing, ample parking, and friendly staff, I’d recommend it to bingo enthusiasts and anyone who wants some light-hearted entertainment without journeying into downtown Toronto. If, though, you are someone who is used to swanky new casinos, Dolphin Gaming may not be for you.