Policy Amendment – 2023 AML Update - Casino

July 5, 2023

This bulletin is to advise all casino facility licensees and registered gaming workers of IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS to the Casino Terms & Conditions and Operating Guidelines (CTCOG). The following policies are effective July 5, 2023.

• AGLC is committed to reviewing policies to meet the needs of stakeholders, while maintaining an effective regulatory environment. As a result, the following policy amendments have been made to Section 18 of the CTCOG:
  • Subsections 18.1, 18.8, 18.9 and 18.10: Policy amendments have been made to align with Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) requirements under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and associated regulations. This includes aligning with:
    • the 24-hour period for reporting requirements, where gaming day hours are now 5:00 a.m. to 4:59 a.m.; and
    • FINTRAC record keeping requirements when a foreign currency exchange transaction occurs.
  • Subsection 18.4 and 18.11: $50 bills are no longer considered to be a small
    denomination bill.
    • As a corresponding change to mitigate any additional risk created with the removal of the $50 bill, the buy-in threshold for low denomination bills is lowered to $3,000 or more.
  • Subsections 18.1 and 18.4: Crypto or virtual currencies are prohibited as a type of funds.
  • Subsection 18.6: Gaming facility licensees may accept a temporary driver’s licence or identification card, if presented alongside a patron’s expired photo ID, as valid identification for AML purposes under certain conditions.
  • Subsection 18.6: Patron verification distributed across the calendar year when alerted to do so by the AML reporting system (instead of annually on January 1 for all patrons).
  • Subsection 18.13: Gaming facility licensees may issue cheques for confirmed winnings for tournaments with a minimum of 30 entrants and a minimum prize pool of $10,000.
  • Minor amendments to clarify reporting requirements and transaction reporting timeframes for gaming facility licensees.

The amended Casino Terms & Conditions and Operating Guidelines may be accessed on AGLC’s website at aglc.ca. Additional information regarding AGLC’s commitment to a modern regulatory environment that supports consumer choice, innovation and economic growth can be found on AGLC’s website at aglc.ca/modernization.

Please familiarize yourself with the amended policies, update your CTCOG as required, and ensure all affected staff are notified of the new requirement(s).

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact AGLC’s Anti-Money Laundering Unit or call AGLC Hotline at 1-800-561-4415.