The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto with a C$350,000 fine for multiple breaches of the province’s gaming standards.
The fine revolves around an impromptu after-party held on the casino floor during pre-dawn hours on 27 September 2024.
The event followed on from a set by German DJ and record producer Boris Brejcha. The resort approved a request by the artist to host an after-party on the gaming floor, where the artist and 400 people partied.
Brejcha went on to perform on operational table games and gaming machines, without any prior risk assessment or planning.
According to the AGCO, the party got out of control with disorderly behaviour, widespread intoxication, numerous criminal and medical incidents inside and outside the venue. Included within this were alleged assaults, drug overdoses and acts of public indecency.
There were paid duty officers on site, but additional police and emergency services were called to help contain the situation.
The regulator said that the operator’s failure to maintain control compromised everyone’s security and safety, as well as the integrity of the casino floor. AGCO also noted that the operator failed to notify it of what happened at the event.
Based on the findings of its review into the incident, the AGCO’s Registrar has issued a fine of C$350,000.
The operator has 15 days to appeal the registrar’s decision.
“Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment,” said Dr. Karin Schnarr, chief executive of AGCO. “Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor.”
A Great Casino Resort Toronto spokesperson added: “We respect the AGCO’s decision and fully acknowledge its role in setting and enforcing the standards that guide the gaming industry.
“We take full responsibility for this incident, and we have acted thoroughly to address it and have imposed multiple compliance safeguards to prevent a similar incident. Our entire organization remains firmly committed to the highest standards of compliance and accountability.”
It is the third time in recent months that Great Canadian has been fined by the AGCO, after a C$151,000 fine last month for allegedly failing to prevent minors from accessing gambling at three of its casinos and a C$120,000 fine for failing to detect a cheating scheme involving two casino dealers in April.