The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario decided to impose a monetary fine of more than CA$227,000 on the Rideau Carleton Casino over a large number of alleged breaches of the regulatory rules.
Some of the alleged violations include repeated failures to implement, enforce and stick to anti-money laundering procedures and policies. Allegedly, the owners of the casino have also advertised their services to people who had taken advantage of the self-exclusion from gambling services. Furthermore, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission revealed that they faced allegations of failing to ensure enough protection of data and gambling systems from various security vulnerabilities. The casino was also criticized for failing to ensure that its employees were trained properly to prevent any breaches of local regulatory rules.
HR Ottawa LP, which is owned by Hard Rock International, faced an official audit that was conducted by the country’s gambling regulator. During the investigation, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario aimed at assessing whether the casino operator was compliant with the regulatory body’s Registrar’s Standards for Gaming.
In a statement, released after the audit, the watchdog explained that the aforementioned standards exist to protect the residents of Ontario against gambling-related harm. The regulatory body further noted that such investigations are one of the tools it often uses as part of its regulatory oversight powers.
The Casino Operator Allowed to Appeal the Regulatory Action
According to the statement issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the audit was initiated after 36 alleged regulatory breaches by HR Ottawa LP.
Some of the major gambling law breaches involved the provision of advertising and marketing materials to individuals who had excluded themselves from gambling activities. Furthermore, the casino operator allegedly repeatedly failed to enforce, implement and follow some of the required anti-money laundering procedures and policies. It also failed to address some concerns linked to internal investigators in a timely and adequate manner.
As mentioned above, the casino company has faced criticism for not making sure that its staff was thoroughly trained and instructed in important areas such as anti-money laundering procedures and policies. As a result, it failed to make sure that its gaming systems and data are well-protected against any security vulnerabilities associated with established industry and technology good practices.
HR Ottawa LP also faced allegations that it maintained a compliance oversight function that was linked to the company’s operations, unlike is required by law.
The fine imposed on the company amounts totals $227,250. The operator of the Rideau Carleton Casino is allowed to appeal the Registrar’s findings to the Licence Appeal Tribunal.
Tom Mungham, the CEO and Registrar of the gambling regulatory body, said that the AGCO is entitled to make sure that casinos are operating with integrity, honesty and in the public interest. He further noted that the penalties imposed on gambling and casino companies were intended to initiate the necessary changes that would improve the operations of the Rideau Carleton Casino, with the regulator set to carefully monitor the casino’s activities in order to make sure the audit findings were addressed by the operator.
