The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has confirmed that one of its divisions had provided assistance to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s money laundering investigation.
This follows multiple criminal charges being laid by the RCMP against five unnamed individuals, who were assisted by members of the AGCO-attached Ontario Provincial Police’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau. The charges from the RCMP are said to be a culmination of a four-year investigation.
The inquiry discovered that over CAD$3m from the illegal sale of cannabis was laundered through casinos in the Greater Toronto Area and Niagara regions.
Alison Jevons, Chief Superintendent, Ontario Provincial Police, Investigations and Enforcement Bureau, stated: “The OPP’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau attached to the AGCO provided dedicated resources to the RCMP throughout the course of its investigation.
“We were pleased to lend our resources and gaming expertise to the RCMP in this matter, and will continue to support all stakeholders in our shared goal of effectively detecting and safeguarding against criminal activities in casinos.”
Following its conclusion, the AGCO will now complete a review of the regulated gaming firms to assess the “effectiveness of their controls” in meeting their obligations under the Gaming Control Act, its regulations and the registrar’s standards for gaming.
Ontario is one of the few jurisdictions in the world that has a dedicated and fully integrated police bureau attached to the gaming regulator.
The Bureau provides investigative expertise, intelligence support and information sharing to external law enforcement, the AGCO, as well as other regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders, to ensure integrity and public safety within the AGCO regulated sectors.
