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Fiona Simmons DECEMBER 1, 2023 MINIMUM READ Auditor General’s sting operation in detail Auditor General’s sting operation against Canadian casinos in particular. They have more to do with the physical industry than iGaming. According to Bonnie Lysyk, the Auditor General, some problems are related to reporting suspicious transactions. Lysyk said on Wednesday that the number of such reports is small and varies from casino to casino.
Mystery Shoppers Swarm Canada’s Casinos… To Prove a Point
Lysyk ran a controversial operation called “Mystery Shoppers,” targeting casinos in Niagara Falls, Windsor, the greater Toronto area, and Ontario, which got her in trouble with local law enforcement. However, Lysyk is confident that she did the right thing by exposing certain flaws in casino practices when it comes to anti-money laundering safeguards. The “mystery shoppers” introduced by Lysyk intended to demonstrate how easy it would be for any party to use casinos to disguise the origins of criminal proceedings. However, this covert operation did not go entirely according to plan, as security forces arrested several undercover agents at casinos for depositing suspicious funds and were subsequently banned from all controlled properties by the operator.
However, Lysyk said many buyers could receive casino checks without proof of winnings, meaning anyone could quickly walk in and exchange money. After entering a property with $11,000. Mystery shoppers spent about 15 minutes playing before attempting to redeem their chips and heading out. Lysyk was quoted by The Star, but even then, she argued that 98% of the time, the mystery shoppers were able to leave casinos with the money they bought on the site.
These funds could now be considered “laundered,” the Auditor General argued. However, Lysyk is confident that the problem can be solved.
Not Ethical, But Still Effective Way to Set Industry on Right Path
One way to do this is to have the Ontario Gaming and Lottery Corporation and the Ontario Gaming and Alcohol Commission issue a gold standard for handling these cases by imposing strict requirements for proof of origin of funds for purchases and cash Transactions over $10,000. The casino only has to pay customers by check if they have evidence that they earned money by playing and winning. The Higher Regional Court has already confirmed that it will seek to improve its industry stakeholder policy and strengthen onshore property processes to ensure better overall security.
