The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has slapped Ontario Gaming GTA Limited Partnership (Casino Woodbine) with a fine of CAD$80,000 (USD$59,200) following allegations of a cheat-at-play and dealer-collusion scheme at Woodbine Casino.
According to the AGCO, the fine was connected to charges laid against five individuals after an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police Investigation and Enforcement Bureau embedded within the AGCO into allegations that an electronic-crap dealer at Woodbine Casino was operating in collusion with the patrons.
According to the Registrar of the AGCO, the casino failed to detect or take appropriate action on available information to prevent the scheme. That information included:
- internal financial reports and emails indicating substantial and atypical losses from the electronic-crap game over a six-month period, which were not effectively acted upon;
- table-game supervisors were often absent from the crap table when suspicious gambling activities occurred;
- video-surveillance recordings showing that the electronic-crap game failed to follow required rules and procedures and lacked effective supervision;
- although Casino Woodbine had issued the dealer with seven procedural violations for inappropriately pushing dice to patrons before closing bets, the dealer was allowed to continue dealing electronic craps during that time.
In a statement, the AGCO said Casino Woodbine fully cooperated with the AGCO’s regulatory review and committed to addressing deficiencies. The casino has the right to appeal the decision to the License Appeal Tribunal.
Great Canadian Entertainment, which operated Casino Woodbine (the property is now called Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto), said in a statement to CDC Gaming, “We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of security, integrity, and fairness in all aspects of our operations. We take any breach of trust within our organization seriously and fully supported the investigation undertaken by the AGCO and OPP. As part of our remediation, the game in question was permanently removed from the casino floor in November 2022 and the employee in question was terminated.”
Great Canadian Entertainment is a gaming and hospitality company with 25 facilities in Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
