Casino operator has been ordered to pay C$120,000 for using unauthorized gaming system software at four of its casinos in Ontario
Great Canadian Entertainment has been hit with another six-figure fine from Ontario’s gambling regulator for using unauthorized gaming system software at four of its casinos.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has ordered monetary penalties totalling C$120,000 against Great Canadian for a “serious compliance failure” that bypassed requirements designed to protect the integrity of casino gaming.
The AGCO reviewed 40 instances in which revoked or unapproved bill validator software had been installed across four casino venues between 20 February and 15 March 2025.
The AGCO’s Standards for Gaming require gaming equipment and software to be tested and approved before being deployed in casinos.
The regulator explained that bill validators verify the authenticity and value of cash inserted into electronic gaming machines and are an important safeguard, which is why the systems must undergo rigorous testing and approval to confirm they operate as intended, perform critical functions reliably and are authorized before being introduced into a live casino environment.
“The AGCO requires casino operators to protect the integrity of their gaming systems by making sure they are independently tested, approved and operating as intended,” said AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr. “When unauthorized software is used in a live casino environment, it bypasses critical safeguards that are meant to uphold the integrity of gaming and the public’s confidence in the system.
“The AGCO will continue to hold all casino operators accountable for meeting Ontario’s high standards of gaming system integrity.”
Great Canadian has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative body that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
It is the latest fine for the casino operator from AGCO after its Toronto venue received a C$350,000 fine for multiple breaches of the province’s gaming standards last June.
That followed a C$151,000 fine 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 2025.