Great Canadian Entertainment Fined over Pickering Casino AML Controls

TORONTO: Ontario’s gambling regulator has ordered $170,000 in penalties against Great Canadian Entertainment.

The penalties put anti-money laundering controls at Pickering Casino Resort under scrutiny, with the regulator citing failures tied to high-risk patrons and suspicious activity reporting.

The AGCO penalty order against Great Canadian Entertainment said the operator failed to adequately identify, assess and monitor high-risk patrons. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario also said required suspicious transaction reports were not filed in several cases involving potential money laundering indicators.

AGCO Cites High-Risk Patron Failures

The penalties followed an AGCO compliance audit of Pickering Casino Resort. The regulator said the audit identified several failures by Great Canadian Entertainment to properly assess and track high-risk patrons who should have been subject to enhanced scrutiny.

The AGCO said Ontario’s gaming standards require casino operators to have effective measures in place to identify and respond to suspicious activity. That includes reporting suspected money laundering when required.

The regulator said those obligations are essential to maintaining a safe and well-regulated gaming environment. It said failures in those areas weaken safeguards designed to detect unlawful conduct and can undermine public confidence in Ontario’s regulated gaming sector.

AGCO Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr said casino operators must be proactive in identifying and reporting suspicious activity. She said failures to properly monitor or report high-risk behaviour weaken safeguards that protect the integrity of Ontario’s gaming sector.

Money Laundering Controls Under Review

The AGCO said Great Canadian Entertainment acted contrary to section 6.1 of Ontario’s gaming standards. That section requires casino operators to have mechanisms in place to reasonably identify and prevent unlawful activity.

According to the regulator, Great Canadian failed to conduct adequate risk assessments and did not appropriately monitor and analyze player transactions for possible unlawful activity at Pickering Casino Resort.

The AGCO also cited section 6.3 of the standards, which deals with suspected money laundering activity. The regulator said Great Canadian failed to have reasonable measures in place to identify and prevent suspected money laundering at the casino.

That included alleged failures to implement risk-based policies and procedures with escalating measures for patrons whose behaviour matched money laundering indicators. The regulator said those controls are part of the compliance framework expected of casino operators in Ontario.

Operator Has Appeal Right

Great Canadian Entertainment has the right to appeal the monetary penalties within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal. The tribunal is part of Tribunals Ontario and operates independently of the AGCO.

The penalties add to recent AGCO enforcement activity involving Ontario’s gaming sector. The regulator has also fined gaming suppliers over unregulated websites, showing continued scrutiny of compliance across both land-based and online gambling operations.

The latest order focuses on casino anti-money laundering controls rather than online market activity. However, it reinforces the same regulatory message: licensed gambling businesses in Ontario are expected to maintain systems that identify risk, escalate suspicious behaviour and meet reporting obligations.

For casino operators, the case is another reminder that compliance obligations extend beyond game integrity and responsible gambling. Monitoring high-risk patrons and reporting suspicious transactions remain central requirements in Ontario’s regulated casino market.

RELATED TOPICS: Regulation