meta_id 3303250

On July 7, 2026, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) ordered Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE) to pay $170,000 in monetary penalties for failing to adequately identify, assess, and monitor high-risk patrons and report suspicious activity at Pickering Casino Resort. An AGCO compliance audit identified several failures by GCE to properly assess and track high-risk patrons that were not subject to required enhanced scrutiny. The review found that required Suspicious Transaction Reports were not filed in multiple cases where patrons displayed potential money laundering indicators. The violations contravened sections 6.1 and 6.3 of Ontario's gaming standards. Under section 6.1, GCE failed to implement mechanisms to reasonably identify and prevent unlawful activities, including by failing to conduct adequate risk assessments and appropriately monitor and analyze player transactions for possible unlawful activity. Under section 6.3, GCE failed to establish reasonable measures to identify and prevent suspected money laundering activities, including by failing to implement risk-based policies and procedures that provide escalating measures for patrons engaging in behaviour consistent with money laundering indicators. The AGCO emphasised that casino operators must maintain effective measures to identify and respond to suspicious activity, including reporting suspected money laundering. Dr. Karin Schnarr, AGCO chief executive and registrar, said the failure to properly monitor or report high-risk behaviour weakens important safeguards protecting the integrity of Ontario's gaming sector. GCE has the right to appeal the Order of Monetary Penalty within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative body that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.