Toronto Casino Slapped with $350,000 Fine
On 27 September 2024, an electronic dance music event held in the adjacent theatre overflowed into the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. The artist and more than 400 guests were allowed onto the active gaming floor for an impromptu performance, mingling with table games and slot machines. The AGCO noted widespread intoxication, disorderly behaviour and several serious incidents including alleged assaults, drug overdoses and acts of public indecency, which prompted the need for additional police and emergency services beyond those initially engaged.
Casino security struggled to manage the crowd, and eyewitnesses reported at least one person climbing onto a slot machine—a clear indicator of inadequate control. Furthermore, the operator failed to report the disturbances and non‑compliance to the AGCO in a timely manner, breaching mandatory notification protocols.
ADVERTISEMENT
The $350,000 penalty addresses core areas of regulatory failure, including incident reporting, employee training, and disturbance management. The breakdown of fines under specific AGCO standards totals $350,000: $125,000 for failure in incident reporting, $100,000 for insufficient staff training, and $125,000 for inadequate removal of disruptive individuals.
Dr Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar of the AGCO, emphasised that casino operators bear 'a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment,' and that the breaches in this case 'compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor'.
This disciplinary action follows two other fines earlier in the year involving the same casino. In April, a fine of $120,000 was imposed over alleged dealer‑patron cheating, followed by a $51,000 penalty in May for permitting under‑age gambling. The cumulative $521,000 in penalties has placed significant pressure on the casino's compliance operations.
In response to the latest ruling, a casino spokesperson stated that they 'respect the AGCO's decision and fully acknowledge its role in setting and enforcing the standards that guide the gaming industry in Ontario.' The spokesperson confirmed steps have been taken to 'impose multiple compliance safeguards' and that the organisation remains 'firmly committed to the highest standards of accountability'.
The operator has 15 days to appeal the penalty to the Licence Appeal Tribunal, an independent adjudicator under Tribunals Ontario.
The episode highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of casino operations in Ontario, where the AGCO has intensified enforcement around compliance, security, and patron safety. Of particular concern is the practice of staging entertainment directly on gaming floors—a strategy that offers commercial benefits but raises questions about operational risk and regulatory compliance.
While the casino industry in the province has embraced entertainment to attract patrons, regulators are signalling zero tolerance for activity that compromises the regulatory framework underpinning gambling operations. This incident, alongside recent penalties, marks a sharper enforcement posture aimed at reinforcing the integrity and safety of gaming venues.
The casino's upcoming appeal will be closely watched, not just by local operators, but by industry stakeholders across the province. The outcome may determine whether the AGCO's heightened enforcement approach becomes a sustained trend or remains an isolated intervention.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Beer Store adds 12 more locations to its long list of closures this year
Ontario's Beer Store has added another 12 locations to its ever-growing list of closures as alcohol sales grow in the province's grocery and convenience stores. The closures, effective Oct. 19, are scattered across the province, but include three stores in Toronto, and adds to the 44 locations that the retailer has already closed or will be closing. 'The Beer Store is modernizing to meet the changing marketplace and unfortunately this means making the hard decision to close retail locations,' Ozzie Ahmed, vice-president of retail at the Beer Store, said in a release. 'We know this is difficult news for customers. As the Beer Store modernizes, our locations will continue to provide friendly customer service and a deposit return system that gets consumers their money back.' The Beer Store, legally operating as Brewers Retail Inc., once had a near monopoly on beer sales in Ontario for decades, but that has slowly changed since 2015, when the provincial government opened the door to beer and wine sales in some grocery stores. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expanded the program last year by opening beer sales to all grocery stores and convenience stores. As part of the plan, he announced $225 million in public funding to help the Beer Store maintain at least 300 locations through the end of 2025. The company had 407 stores in 2024, according to its operations report that year. Despite the closures, it has committed to maintaining its recycling program until at least 2031, while participating grocery and convenience stores must begin to accept empties on Jan. 1, 2026. Here's a look at the upcoming closures and those that have already closed: Effective Oct. 19, 2025: 882 Ward St., Bridgenorth 8647 Hwy. #60, Eganville 89 Main St. S., Forest 21 Ontario St. N., Grand Bend 398 King St. W., PO Box 249, Harrow 53 Meredith St. E., PO Box 210, Little Current 33 Argyle St., Markdale 142 David St. N., Noëlville 704 Main St., Sauble Beach 3078 Don Mills Rd., Toronto 900A Don Mills Rd., Unit #100, Toronto 800 Gerrard St. E., Toronto Effective Sept. 14, 2025: 2020 Appleby Line, Burlington 3322 5 Hwy. #17, Deep River 229 Dundurn St. S, Hamilton 12334 Hwy. #41, PO Box 17, Northbrook 1910 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa Erie St. S, #21 Hwy, Ridgetown 41 Front St, Sioux Lookout 636 Greenwood Ave., Toronto 4479 Kingston Rd, Toronto 4681 Hwy # 7, Unionville The Beer Store closes 10 more locations Few Ontario grocery stores accepting booze empties Already closed: 1953 Ravenscroft Rd., Ajax 4501 Bath Rd., Amherstview 14800 Yonge St., Aurora 93 Notre Dame St. E., Azilda 130 Cedar St., Cambridge 6716 Hwy.#35, PO Box 269, Coboconk 1396 2nd St. E., Cornwall 227 Cambridge Ave., Iroquois Falls 3rd Ave. & Main St., Levack 5804 Hwy 7, Markham 51 Millside Dr., Milton 1015 Bronte St. S., Milton 2925 Eglinton Ave. W., Mississauga 3154 Hurontario St., Mississauga 65 Queen St. N., Mississauga 1431 Rebecca St., Oakville 104 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville 1011 Upper Middle Rd., Oakville 900 Bank St., Ottawa 2144 Carling Ave., Ottawa 13469 Yonge St., Richmond Hill 2934 Finch Ave. E., Toronto 89 Laird Drive., Unit 1, Toronto 41 Mill St, Toronto 761 Queen St. W., Toronto 1270 Woodbine Ave., Toronto 609 Roehampton Ave., Toronto 1580 Avenue Rd., Toronto 55 Queen St., Tottenham 1470 Major Mackenzie Dr., Vaughan 690 Berford St., PO Box 202, Wiarton 790 Goyeau St., Windsor 1780 College Ave., Windsor 7676 Islington Ave. W., Woodbridge • Email: bcousins@ Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Traffic alert: Emergency bridge work closes lanes on Massachusetts Turnpike
State transportation officials are urging drivers to avoid part of the Massachusetts Turnpike on Monday due to emergency bridge repair work that is causing traffic delays. Crews were working on the I-90 eastbound bridge that carries traffic over Brookfield Road in Charlton at mile marker 82.3, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Two eastbound travel lanes have been closed to allow for the work. 'Drivers traveling through the affected area should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution,' MassDOT warned in a statement. 'Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.' MassDOT said that the lane closures are expected to remain in place for several hours. Officials noted that appropriate signage and messaging will be placed to guide drivers through the work area. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2025 Tour Championship purse, payouts: How much is up for grabs at East Lake in the FedExCup Playoffs?
The end of the FedExCup Playoffs are here. The last 30 golfers standing will hit the course this week at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta with the FedExCup on the line. With it comes a massive $40 million purse — a quarter of which will go to the winner come Sunday afternoon. The purse is the largest on Tour each season, more than double that of what was offered at the British Open and PGA Championships. The U.S. Open had a $21.5 million purse to lead the major championships, just $500,000 more than what was offered at Augusta National. Outside of this limited playoff event, The Players Championship had a $25 million purse to lead the way in the sport. The purse this week is so big that the top eight finishers will take home a seven-figure prize. Even the person who comes in last will earn $355,000. By comparison, Andrew Novak won just $70,000 for his last-place finish at the BMW Championship. Scottie Scheffler, fresh off his fifth win of the season on Sunday at the BMW Championship, is entering the Tour Championship with a massive lead in the FedExCup standings. That, however, doesn't matter anymore after the PGA Tour opted to eliminate the starting strokes format for this final event. Scheffler and the 29 golfers will all start the week at even par, meaning the tournament is still up for grabs. Scheffler, however, is undoubtedly the favorite. He has now won 12 times in the past two seasons on Tour, three of which have come at major championships, and he's finished inside the top 10 in every start he's made dating back to March. He's starting the week listed at +125 to win on BetMGM. If Scheffler can win this week, he'd be the first back-to-back winner in FedExCup history. Here's how much is on the line this week for the 30 golfers in Atlanta. 2025 Tour Championship payouts 1. $10 million2. $5 million3. $3.705 million4. $3.2 million5. $2.75 million6. $1.9 million7. $1.4 million8. $1.065 million9. $900,00010. $735,00011. $695,00012. $660,00013. $625,00014. $590,00015. $560,00016. $505,00017. $490,00018. $475,00019. $460,00020. $445,00021. $430,00022. $415,00023. $400,00024. $390,00025. $380,00026. $375,00027. $370,00028. $365,00029. $360,00030. $355,000
