Online Casino July 01, 2026 AGCOOntario

AGCO Fines Great Canadian Entertainment $120,000 Over Casino Software Breach

Regulator says revoked or unapproved bill validator software bypassed safeguards at four Ontario sites
Key points
  • Great Canadian Entertainment was fined $120,000 after unauthorized software was found at four Ontario casinos.
  • The AGCO identified 40 instances involving revoked or unapproved bill-validator software between February 20 and March 15, 2025.
  • The regulator said the software could undermine controls designed to detect unlawful conduct, including money laundering, and weaken public confidence.
  • AGCO chief executive Karin Schnarr said operators must ensure gaming systems are independently tested, approved and operating as intended.
  • Great Canadian Entertainment can appeal the penalty to the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days.
AGCO Fines Great Canadian Entertainment $120,000 Over Casino Software Breach

Great Canadian Entertainment has been fined $120,000 after Ontario’s gaming regulator found unauthorized software at four casino sites, a breach it said can weaken the safeguards that protect casino integrity.

According to the AGCO, investigators reviewed 40 instances between February 20 and March 15, 2025, in which revoked or unapproved bill validator software had been installed across the four properties. The software was used on bill validators, the devices that verify the authenticity and value of cash inserted into electronic gaming machines.

The regulator said gaming equipment and software must be tested and approved before deployment in casinos. It added that using systems without the required testing, monitoring and approval can undermine controls meant to detect and prevent unlawful conduct, including money laundering, and can erode public confidence.

Dr. Karin Schnarr, the AGCO’s chief executive and registrar, said operators must ensure gaming systems are independently tested, approved and operating as intended. She said unauthorized software in a live casino environment bypasses critical safeguards, and that the commission will continue to hold operators accountable for Ontario’s standards.

A casino operator served with an order of monetary penalty can appeal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days. The tribunal is part of Tribunals Ontario and operates independently of the regulator.

21+ in OH. Please play responsibly. For help, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or 1-800-GAMBLER.

Sources

  1. newswire.ca

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