Ontario Authority Imposes Penalty on Great Canadian Due to Underage Access Issue

Ontario Authority Imposes Penalty on Great Canadian Due to Underage Access Issue

Casino Giant Faces Hefty Fine over Underage Access Incidents

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has slapped Great Canadian Entertainment with a whopping $151,000 fine for permitting minors access to gaming areas at three of their casinos in the Toronto region.

This penalty, distributed across four separate underage access incidents spanning Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Casino Ajax, and Pickering Casino Resort, is a clear warning to the casino industry about age verification duties.

Investigators uncovered incidents where underage individuals managed to gain entry to casino floors, potentially participating in games like slot play or table games. It's important to note that per AGCO rules, only individuals aged 19 or older are permitted on gambling floors unless they're employees performing their roles. In such instances, staff must receive proper training to check ages, ensuring underage access is minimized.

AGCO's CEO and Registrar, Dr Karin Schnarr, reiterated the responsibility casino operators have to protect minors: “Casino operators in Ontario have an obligation to deny entry to minors and maintain a safe gaming environment. The AGCO will persist in monitoring and holding casino operators accountable for meeting this vital responsibility.”

If Great Canadian Entertainment feels aggrieved by the enforcement action, they can challenge it before the independent Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), a part of Tribunals Ontario.Here's an overview of the appeal process:

1. Great Canadian Entertainment, much like other casino operators, has the right to challenge the penalties imposed by the AGCO before the LAT.
2. The LAT serves as an independent adjudicative body, providing a platform for parties to advocate their case with evidence.
3. After reviewing the evidence, the LAT reaches a decision on the appeal, which could either uphold the original penalty or adjust it based on the presented evidence.
4. The entire process—filing the appeal, evidence presentation, and decision—is carried out in accordance with the structured and transparent Tribunals Ontario framework.

So, Great Canadian Entertainment can consider this route if they feel there are valid grounds for contesting the fines in an effort to reduce or abolish them entirely.

1. The casino-giant, Great Canadian Entertainment, can appeal the hefty fine of £151,000 imposed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) over underage access incidents, if they feel aggrieved, through the independent Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), a part of Tribunals Ontario.
2. In the casino-culture, casino operators in Ontario have a responsibility to protect minors and maintain a safe gaming environment, as stated by AGCO's CEO and Registrar, Dr Karin Schnarr.
3. LAT, an adjudicative body, provides a platform for parties like Great Canadian Entertainment to advocate their case with evidence, in the event of challenges against penalties imposed by the AGCO.
4. The unchecked participation of minors in casino-games, such as slot play or table games, has been a recurring trend in the gambling-industry, as revealed in the recent underage access incidents at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Casino Ajax, and Pickering Casino Resort.

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