The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has fined the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto for hosting an impromptu after-party at its venue.
In total, the casino has been fined CA$350,000 for multiple violations of provincial gaming standards, after casino management approved an after-party for an artist and 400 guests following an unruly electronic dance music event (EDM) at the theatre opposite the casino.
The AGCO states that the party was hosted on the gaming floor among operational table games and gaming machines.
Out of control
The after-party took place following the artist’s performance at a theatre adjacent to the casino that was, according to the AGCO, marred by “widespread intoxication, disorderly behaviour and numerous criminal and medical incidents”.
Although attended by paid duty officers, additional police and emergency services were required for incidents such as alleged assaults, drug overdoses and acts of public indecency.
Amid this environment, the artist was then allowed to perform an unscheduled show at the Great Canadian Casino Resort in Toronto without prior risk assessment or planning.
The AGCO claimed that security personnel failed to effectively control the casino floor, and witness reports suggested that an attendee was seen climbing onto slot machines.
In failing to maintain a safe environment, the AGCO stated that the incident compromised the “security, safety and integrity” of the casino floor.
Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the AGCO, said: “Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor.”
Although the AGCO has not named the artist, the German DJ Boris Brejcha was playing the venue on the night in question. He also posted a video of himself playing a DJ set on the casino floor on 28 September 2024 – the day after the incident took place.
In response to the punishment, a spokesperson for the casino told Canadian Gaming Business: “We take full responsibility for this incident. We have acted thoroughly to address it and have imposed multiple compliance safeguards to prevent a similar incident. Our entire organisation remains firmly committed to the highest standards of compliance and accountability.
“We respect the AGCO’s decision and fully acknowledge its role in setting and enforcing the standards that guide the gaming industry in Ontario.”
Third AGCO sanction
The action against Great Canadian is ill-timed for the company, given that it is the third time it has been fined by the AGCO for violations at its Toronto venue in under three months.
In mid-April, the venue was penalised for allegedly failing to detect cheating and dealer collusion.
The AGCO fined Ontario Gaming GTA Limited Partnership, a joint venture of Great Canadian Entertainment and Brookfield Business Partners in the Greater Toronto Area, $120,000 after Ontario’s authorities charged five individuals following an investigation into alleged collusion between a group of casino patrons and two table game dealers.
A subsequent AGCO compliance review confirmed that the dealers had engaged in a scheme with the same group of patrons on multiple occasions. The alleged execution of the plan included intentionally exposing cards that were supposed to remain face down while dealing, inappropriately overdrawing the dealer’s cards and issuing overpayments on winning hands.
In May, Great Canadian Entertainment also received a further $151,000 AGCO fine for allowing minors to access the casino and floor and participate in “gambling activities” in two separate incidents at the Toronto casino, as well as one at each of the Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort venues.
