The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has imposed a $170,000 monetary penalty on Great Canadian Entertainment following a compliance audit of Pickering Casino Resort.
The audit identified multiple high‑risk patrons who were not properly assessed or monitored, and several required suspicious activity reports were not filed.
Ontario’s gaming regulations mandate that casino operators maintain effective systems to detect and respond to suspicious activity, safeguarding the integrity of the province’s gaming industry.
Investigators concluded that Great Canadian lacked adequate processes to identify and prevent unlawful activity, including insufficient risk assessments and transaction monitoring.
The regulator also found the operator failed to establish risk‑based policies that would trigger escalating responses for behavior indicative of possible money laundering.
These deficiencies resulted in the monetary penalties issued under Ontario’s gaming standards.
The commission’s chief executive emphasized that proactive identification and reporting are essential to protect the sector and maintain public confidence.
Gaps in monitoring and reporting weaken safeguards designed to detect unlawful conduct and can erode trust in the regulated gaming environment.
Great Canadian Entertainment may appeal the order within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent adjudicative body.
The commission regulates alcohol, cannabis, gaming and horse racing in Ontario, applying a risk‑based approach focused on compliance, integrity and public safety.
The penalties specifically address compliance findings at Pickering Casino Resort related to the identification, monitoring and reporting of suspected money laundering activity.
