Casino Scam at Toronto Gambling Venue Results in $120,000 Penalty
The Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto finds itself in hot water after the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) slapped a whopping $120,000 penalty for blind eyes turned to a deceitful dealer-patron collusion scandal. This isn't the first time the casino had to face the consequences - just last year, it was fined $80,000 for another "cheat-at-play" incident.
The AGCO's ceo, Dr. Karin Schnarr, has made it crystal clear that Ontario's casino operators are bound by duty to safeguard game integrity within their establishments. The AGCO won't hesitate to act if they determine lax security measures have led to gaming fraud.
In this recent scandal, cunning dealers allegedly manipulated games using underhanded tactics like showing face-down cards and improperly dealing hands. These activities allowed a group of conspirators to reap over $20,000 in illicit winnings in less than a week. The AGCO wasn't impressed with the casino's surveillance and pit supervisors, who failed to detect these dodgy dealings, missing crucial red flags such as exposed cards, overdrawn dealer hands, and overpayments on wins.
The Ontario Provincial Police's Investigation and Enforcement Bureau nabbed five individuals in connection with the scheme, including two of the casino's own dealers. This bust took place back in March 2024.
Dr. Schnarr made it known, "Ontario's registered casino operators have an obligation to ensure the integrity of game play in their casinos. The AGCO will continue to monitor and take all necessary steps to uphold the integrity of gaming in Ontario's gaming sites."
Given the casino's history of similar incidents, it's no surprise that they can appeal the fine to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, which works independently of the AGCO. However, it's uncertain if they've faced penalties for prior occurrences beyond confirming a pattern of such allegations.
[Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The AGCO has allegedly imposed a penalty of $120,000 on the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for its failure to prevent a dealer-patron collusion scandal involving casino games, marking the second such incident in less than a year. Dr. Schnarr, the CEO of the AGCO, emphasized that operators of casino-and-gambling establishments in Ontario, including the casino operator of this casino, are obligated to safeguard the integrity of casino games. The AGCO may take action if it determines that lax security measures have led to gaming fraud.
