Clamping down
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a fine totaling CA$227,250 (US$172,020) to the Rideau Carleton Casino. The provincial gaming regulator announced the action on Wednesday, outlining alleged breaches of the Registrar’s Standards for Gaming.
In taking the action, the AGCO said it is attempting to protect the interest of the public and make sure that all casinos in Ontario are operating with integrity and in a responsible manner.
AGCO discovered 36 possible violations
An audit took place before the AGCO handed out the fine. It assessed the Rideau Carleton Casino’s compliance with the sector’s rules and regulations. Following the audit, the AGCO discovered 36 possible violations.
Specific issues
The AGCO discovered instances whereby the casino had provided marketing materials to self-excluded people. It also found repeated failures to comply with anti-money laundering measures (AML), while staff had not often received the proper training regarding AML procedures.
According to the AGCO, the Rideau Carleton Casino had insufficiently protected its gaming data and systems from possible security vulnerabilities. Compliance oversight systems were also not independent of the casino’s operations, a regulatory requirement.
Finally, the AGCO stated that the Rideau Carleton Casino did not suitably address the areas of concern that internal auditors had identified.
A chance to appeal
The Rideau Carleton Casino has the right to appeal the findings of the AGCO to a License Appeal Tribunal. This is an adjudicative group that acts independently of the AGCO.
we will be carefully monitoring the casino’s activities”
In the press release announcing the financial penalty, AGCO registrar and CEO Tom Mungham said: “These penalties are intended to drive the improvements needed at the Rideau Carleton Casino, and we will be carefully monitoring the casino’s activities to ensure these significant audit findings are addressed.”
The Rideau Carleton Casino general manager Helen MacMillan issued a statement to local media following the announcement of the regulatory action, confirming the casino had already “aggressively corrected” most of the issues highlighted. The casino is committed to improving and resolving any regulatory issues going forward, according to MacMillan.