AGCO slaps $70,000 Penalty on Fallsview Casino Resort - Brand will Appeal

The popular Niagara Falls casino, Fallsview Casino Resort, has been fined by Ontario's gambling watchdog for reportedly permitting a "high-risk" player to convert $80,000 in cash into chips without engaging in any gambling activities.

The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) disclosed in a news release that MGE Niagara Entertainment Inc., the casino operator, is facing a $70,000 fine. The AGCO imposed this penalty, which is $10,000 less than the amount of money allegedly involved in the money laundering incident.

Ontario's gambling oversight body, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has imposed a fine on the famous Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls. The AGCO alleges that the casino allowed a "high-risk" player to exchange $80,000 in cash for casino chips without engaging in any gambling activity. The fine, amounting to $70,000, was announced by the Registrar of the AGCO in a news release.

According to the AGCO, the incident occurred in April 2023 when a patron visited Salon Privé, a "high-limit" gaming area within the casino known for offering players a setting of "sophistication and discretion," as described on the Fallsview website. The patron reportedly handed a casino attendant $80,000 in strapped $100 bills in a reusable grocery bag.

Surveillance footage revealed that after the money was counted and confirmed, the patron left the gaming table with casino chips without participating in any gambling activities at that time.

Notably, the AGCO claims that the casino had previously identified the patron as "high risk" but failed to follow protocol by notifying officials or on-site police.

Furthermore, Fallsview Casino Resort allegedly neglected to take "meaningful steps" to verify the source of the patron's funds, as required by the anti-money laundering rules outlined in the Registrar’s Standards for Gaming.

In response to the AGCO's decision, a spokesperson for Fallsview Casino stated to CTV News Toronto that they "respectfully" disagree with the ruling. The spokesperson emphasized Fallsview Casino Resort's commitment to compliance and good citizenship, expressing intentions to appeal the decision and present their case.