The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) has served HR Ottawa LP (Hard Rock Ottawa) with an order for a monetary penalty totaling $227,250. This fine is for alleged regulatory violations following an audit of the company’s Rideau Carleton Casino.
The AGCO conducted a compliance audit of the establishment and found 36 violations of its standards. Among these many violations, Hard Rock Ottawa is alleged to have provided advertising and marketing materials to those who have self-excluded themselves from gambling activities.
AGCO also states that there was a complete failure to enforce required anti-money laundering policies and procedures and to train staff to detect and thwart the practice. Additionally, the company allegedly failed to protect gaming systems and data from security vulnerabilities in accordance with industry standards.
Hard Rock Ottawa retains the right to challenge the decision of the Registrar and must take its approach the License Appeal Tribunal to do so. This tribunal is adjacent to the AGCO and Tribunals Ontario.
AGCO CEO and Registrar Tom Mungham commented: “The AGCO has the mandate and the responsibility to ensure casinos are operating with honesty, integrity, and in the public interest. 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 AGCO is responsible for regulating the alcohol, gaming, private cannabis and horse racing retail sectors in Ontario. It was established in 1998 and is a regulatory agency that reports to the Ministry of the General Attorney.
The Rideau Carleton Casino began as a racetrack venue in 1962 before Hard Rock bought it and took over day-to-day operations in 2017.
