Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto is facing a $120,000 penalty after the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) found it failed to prevent a dealer-assisted cheating scheme that led to nearly $20,000 in illegal winnings in under a week.
Good to know
- Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto has now been penalized twice within a year for similar cheating incidents.
- The latest fine totals $120,000 for failing to catch a dealer-patron collusion scheme.
- Ontario authorities found multiple security and audit lapses during the investigation.
The AGCO said the casino didn’t catch dealers who were allegedly working with a group of patrons to rig games. Surveillance and pit supervisors also missed key signs during play, including exposed cards, overdrawn dealer hands, and overpayments on wins. These actions were flagged during a compliance review that followed a March 2024 criminal investigation.
Earlier that month, the Ontario Provincial Police’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau, which operates within the AGCO, charged five people in connection with the scheme. Two of them were dealers at the casino.
“Ontario’s registered casino operators have an obligation to ensure the integrity of game play in their casinos,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr. “The AGCO will continue to monitor and take all necessary steps to uphold the integrity of gaming in Ontario’s gaming sites.”
According to the AGCO, multiple instances of coordinated cheating were allowed to happen over several days without detection. Dealers were allegedly using tactics like showing face-down cards and improperly dealing hands to favor the group they were assisting.
The watchdog’s investigation also found that table games audits weren’t being properly followed by staff, further contributing to the missed red flags.
Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto can appeal the penalty to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, which operates independently of the AGCO. However, this is not the first time the operator has been penalized for similar issues. Back in September 2023, while operating under the name Casino Woodbine, it received an $80,000 fine following another cheat-at-play incident.
The post Cheating Scheme at Toronto Casino Triggers $120,000 Fine appeared first on iGaming.org.