AGCO Levies CAD 350K in Penalties Against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that it has levied a monetary penalty against Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto due to violations of the province’s gambling regulations. The authority noted that the penalty was related to a party that took place in September 2024.

Unplanned After-Party Gone Wrong

The AGCO clarified that the penalty was due to an “impromptu after-party that was permitted to take place in the pre-dawn hours directly on the casino’s gaming floor” last year. The spontaneous after-party followed an earlier event that took place in the theater adjacent to the casino.

On September 27, 2024, the nearby theater hosted an electronic dance music event that welcomed thousands of attendees and was marred by “widespread intoxication, disorderly behavior, and numerous criminal and medical incidents.” The AGCO noted that even the paid duty police officers couldn’t manage the situation, requiring additional police and emergency services.

Following the conclusion of the event, the performing artist Boris Brejcha, reportedly asked the casino to host an after-party on its active gaming floor. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto approved the request, allowing Brejcha and over 400 guests to continue partying.

According to the AGCO, the guests remained unruly as one was seen climbing on top of a slot machine.

The AGCO noted that the unplanned after-party violated safety protocols, compromising the casino floor’s integrity. To top it all off, the AGCO asserted that Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto had failed to promptly report incidents that took place during the after-party to the regulator.

AGCO Says the Operator Compromised the Safety of Patrons

The AGCO therefore concluded that the casino had committed critical violations related to its operation, incident reporting, employee training, and the management of disturbances. As a result, it opted to levy penalties totaling CAD 350,000 ($256,033) against the casino. These include a CAD 125,000 penalty ($91,440) for failure to report the incidents, a CAD 100,000 penalty ($73,152) for failing to ensure it had competent staff to manage the after-party, and another CAD 125,000 penalty ($91,440) for failing to ensure that individuals suspected of, or engaged in, creating a disturbance were removed from the premises and reported.

Dr. Karin Schnarr, chief executive officer and registrar of the AGCO, said:

Casino operators have a fundamental duty to control their gaming environment. Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s lapses in this incident compromised the safety of patrons and the security and integrity of the gaming floor.

Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto can try to appeal the decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days.