Ontario gambling regulator issues $80,000 fine to Woodbine Casino

Canada’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a CAD$80,000 penalty to Casino Woodbine in Toronto following allegations of a dealer cheat scheme.

The monetary penalty follows an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) into allegations that an electronic craps dealer at Woodbine Casino was in collusion with five individuals, who have all been charged.

The AGCO’s Regulatory Compliance Branch subsequently conducted an in-depth compliance review to assess Casino Woodbine’s adherence to the Gaming Control Act 1992 and Registrar’s Standards for Gaming.

The Registrar found that Casino Woodbine failed to detect or take appropriate action on available information to prevent the cheat-at-play and dealer collusion scheme.

This included internal financial reports and emails indicating substantial and atypical losses from the electronic craps game over a six-month period of time, which were not effectively acted upon.

In addition, table games supervisors were often absent from the craps table when suspicious gambling activities occurred, while video surveillance recordings show that the electronic craps game failed to follow required rules and procedures and lacked effective supervision.

Casino Woodbine was also found to have issued the dealer with seven procedural violations for inappropriately pushing dice to patrons before closing bets, with the dealer then allowed to continue dealing electronic craps during that time.

Casino Woodbine fully cooperated with the AGCO’s regulatory review and has committed to addressing deficiencies.

In addition to the penalties, the AGCO will continue monitoring to ensure Casino Woodbine appropriately addresses their controls to better detect and prevent casino cheats and dealer collusion.

Casino Woodbine has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT).