Ontario Casino Dealer Faces Cheating Charges
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Posted on: August 17, 2023, 09:08h.
Last updated on: August 17, 2023, 09:08h.
An Ontario casino dealer is facing charges in the Canadian province after law enforcement alleges that the employee colluded with several gamblers to cheat the house.
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation opened its 96,000-square-foot Pickering Casino Resort in July 2021. The casino offers more than 2,200 slot machines and 90 live dealer table games. The gaming floor also features 140 live dealer stadium gaming seats.
One of those Pickering dealers, Ontario Provincial Police allege, conspired with at least three individuals to cheat.
CTV News Toronto reports that law enforcement was tipped off to the cheating allegation on Aug. 3. A subsequent investigation led by the OPP in conjunction with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) concluded that 24-year-old Toronto resident Sandeep Sogi “was in collusion with patrons” while on the job.
Sogi has been charged with criminal breach of trust, four counts of cheat at play, and four counts of fraud in excess of $5,000.
Pickering opened its $500 million hotel in January with 275 guestrooms. The expansion additionally included a 2,500-seat venue called The Arena that will host concerts, theater productions, and live sports.
Details Scant
Ontario police aren’t saying how Sogi allegedly assisted players at the felt in beating the odds and regularly winning.
But law enforcement has also charged three of Sogi’s alleged conspirators — Sukhvir Singh, 28, of Mississauga, Deepak Kakkar, 30, of Brampton, and Anchhu Kumar, 24, of Brampton. Those defendants are each facing charges for cheat at play, fraud over $5,000, and possession of property over $5,000 obtained through crime.
Cheat at play, according to the Criminal Code of Canada, refers to the act of intentionally defrauding a person or business while playing a game. Individuals found guilty of a cheat-at-play charge face up to two years imprisonment.
How Sogi and his alleged conspirators swindled money from the Pickering casino remains unknown. It’s also unclear what game Sogi dealt.
All of the specifics will be part of the evidence when the matter is heard before a judge,” an OPP spokesperson told CTV News Toronto.
Police said all four suspects have been released and will be scheduled to appear in an Oshawa courtroom at a later date. No court date has yet been scheduled. Law enforcement told the media that the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact police.
AGCO Strengthening Protections
The AGCO says part of its mission is to “regulate in accordance with the principles of honesty and integrity, and in the public interest.” A pillar of that objective is safeguarding the integrity of casino gaming throughout the province.
The AGCO also works to make sure Ontario’s legal gaming market doesn’t negatively impact society. This week, AGCO announced a CA$100,000 (US$74,000) penalty against Apollo Entertainment Ltd. after a review concluded that the iGaming operator failed to intervene with suspected problem gamblers.
The regulator said Apollo staffers did not reach out to one such gambler who lost nearly $150,000 in just a four-month span online.
“All registered operators have an obligation to proactively monitor patron play for signs of high-risk gambling, and must take appropriate actions to intervene and reduce the potential for gambling-related harm,” said Tom Mungham, chief executive officer and registrar of the AGCO.
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