Toronto Casino Fined CAD$120K for Failing to Detect Dealer Collusion

The Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto has been fined CAD$120,000 by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) after failing to detect a cheat-and-play dealer collusion scheme. 

Charges were brought against five individuals in March 2024 by the Ontario Provincial Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) within the AGCO. 

Toronto Casino Dealers Helped Patrons Win Illegally

The charges came after an investigation into allegations that a group of casino patrons were colluding with two table game dealers at the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. 

A subsequent compliance review confirmed that the dealers had engaged in such a scheme with the same patrons multiple times, allowing them to win over CAD$20,000 in illegal winnings in under seven days. 

The same casino was found guilty of similar breaches in 2023 and has now been fined CAD$200,000 in total. 

Dr Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of AGCO commented: “Ontario’s registered casino operators have an obligation to ensure the integrity of game play in their casinos.” 

“This includes a responsibility to detect and prevent collusion and cheating. The AGCO will continue to monitor and take all necessary steps to uphold the integrity of gaming in Ontario’s gaming sites,” continued Schnarr.

The recent compliance review found that various dealer cheat moves went unnoticed, including:

• Intentionally exposing cards that should be placed face down while dealing,
• Inappropriately overdrawing the dealer’s cards,
• Issuing overpayments on winning hands. 

The review found that the Great Canadian Resort Toronto failed to detect the cheating scheme from the surveillance and supervisory pit. It also found that casino staff failed to follow proper table game audit procedures, which are designed to flag when rules of play are breached by either players or dealers. 

The Toronto casino will have the opportunity to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an adjudicative tribunal which functions independently of the AGCO, and part of Tribunals Ontario.