Ontario’s gaming regulator has fined Great Canadian Entertainment C$170,000 after a compliance audit at Pickering Casino Resort found failures to identify, assess and monitor high-risk patrons and to report suspicious activity linked to possible money laundering.
According to the AGCO release, the audit found several cases in which patrons who should have faced enhanced scrutiny were not properly tracked. In a number of instances, required Suspicious Transaction Reports were also not filed when behaviour suggested potential money-laundering indicators.
The notice said the conduct was contrary to section 6.1 of Ontario’s Standards, which requires mechanisms to identify and prevent unlawful activity, and section 6.3, which requires risk-based policies and procedures for patrons whose behaviour is consistent with money-laundering indicators.
AGCO Registrar and chief executive Dr. Karin Schnarr said casino operators must take a proactive approach to identifying and reporting suspicious activity. She said failures to monitor or report high-risk behaviour weaken safeguards that protect the integrity of Ontario’s gaming sector.
The regulator also said meeting Ontario’s gaming standards is essential to maintaining a safe and well-regulated gaming environment, and that lapses can undermine public confidence in the sector.
Separately, AGCO fined Great Canadian Entertainment C$120,000 on June 29 over unauthorized gaming system software at four Ontario casinos.
Great Canadian Entertainment has 15 days to appeal the registrar’s action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an adjudicative body within Tribunals Ontario that is independent of the AGCO.
