Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE) has received its second penalty in under a month from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), with this recent one for supposedly not stopping minors from entering casinos in the Toronto area.
An AGCO statement indicated that an investigation found that in four distinct incidents, minors reportedly accessed casino floors, with some involved in gambling activities.
Two incidents occurred at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, while one took place at both Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort.
The AGCO imposed $151K in fines on GCE. A casino operator that receives a fine can contest it at the Licence Appeal Tribunal, which is independent from the AGCO.
“Ontario casino operators have an obligation to ensure minors are not able to access casino floors or activities such as slot machines or table games,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr. “The AGCO will continue to monitor and hold all casino operators accountable for fulfilling this important role.”
No one below 19 years old is allowed to access a gambling site in the province. AGCO regulations require that casino staff possess the required competitive skills and training to perform their roles, which includes verifying ages.
Last month, AGCO imposed a CA$120K penalty on Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for not identifying a cheating scheme involving players and colluding dealers at the venue.
“We hold ourselves to the highest standards of security and integrity across our 23 operations nationwide,” said Great Canadian Entertainment’s Executive Vice President of External Relations and Business Development Chuck Keeling. “These incidents were self-reported, and we accept the AGCO’s determination. We’ve taken corrective action and remain fully committed to meeting all regulatory requirements going forward.”
