A table games dealer at Pickering Casino Resort is facing criminal charges for his alleged role in colluding with patrons.
According to an Ontario Provincial Police news release published Aug. 16, their Enforcement Bureau was notified of the suspected foul play on Aug. 3. Specifically, the tip suggested that the Ontario casino worker “was in collusion with patrons.”
Shortly after the tip, an investigation backed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario ensued, resulting in four arrests.
Details remain scarce, but all participants hit with criminal charges
The dealer, 24-year-old Scarborough resident Sandeep 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. The exact game Sogi was dealing remains unknown.
His co-conspirators, Sukhvir Singh, 28, Deepak Kakkar, 30, and Anchhu Kumar, 24, each are dealing with the following charges:
- Four counts of cheat at play
- Four counts of fraud over $5,000
- Four counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000
Per the Canadian Criminal Code, cheat at play refers to the act of intentionally defrauding a person or business while playing a game. As such, those found guilty of a cheat-at-play charge face a punishment of up to two years in prison.
For now, the details of the coordinated criminal action, including the circumstances around Sogi’s involvement are unclear. An OPP spokesperson told CTV News last Wednesday that additional information, including the method of alleged collusion and total value of money defrauded, will stay private while the investigation is active.
“All of the specifics will be part of the evidence when the matter is heard before a judge,” the spokesperson said.
Police said that all four suspects have been released and are scheduled to appear in an Oshawa courtroom at a later date. In the meantime, the investigation remains ongoing and law enforcement is encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the authorities.
AGCO enforcing stricter measures amidst province-wide crackdown
In the online gambling space, last Tuesday the AGCO announced $100,000 in fines against online casino operator Apollo Entertainment. The provincial regulator alleges Apollo failed to meet Ontario’s responsible gambling requirements.
The AGCO’s latest punishment for improper operator conduct matches the largest fine handed down by the gambling authority. In July of 2022, the AGCO fined DraftKings $100,000 for allegedly breaking the commission’s policies on advertised inducements.
By PlayCanada’s count, the AGCO has delivered fines on five separate occasions since Ontario’s legal online gambling market opened on April 4, 2022. Altogether, the fines to online gambling operators have reached $378,000 in that 16-month period.
