OPP Discovers Woodbine Casino Dealer Colluded with Patrons

This week, the Ontario Provincial Police issued a statement on Tuesday informing that it has detained five individuals in relation to a prolonged investigation at Woodbine Casino in Toronto. It reported that five arrests have been made after it was discovered that a table games dealer from the casino has been colluding with patrons and taking advantage of his position.

According to the OPP and its statement from this week, the Investigation and Enforcement attached to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario were contacted on October 19, 2022, in relation to allegations that a dealer was teaming up with clients of the said casino. The five individuals have now been released from custody and await their trials in court.

Now Facing Charges

After a thorough investigation, the OPP said that five people were detained for allegedly colluding with a table games dealer working at Woodbine Casino. The gambling employee in question was 52-year-old Arthur Segovia, who resides in Etobicoke. Since then, he has been charged with criminal breach of trust, cheat at play, theft over CA$5,000 and fraud over CA$5,000.

In addition to that, the other five involved in the alleged scheme were the Toronto residents – the 29-year-old Khalil Evans, 30-year-old Donovan Smyth-Todd, and the 25-year-old Daniel Hatton. In addition to that, the 33-year-old Andrew Gayle-Bourne who resides in Oakville will also face charges. The five have been charged with cheat at play, theft and fraud over CA$5,000.

Furthermore, the OPP shared that all five of the perpetrators have now been released from custody and now await to appear in court in the near future. Meanwhile, the investigation is still open, said the police. Also, if the OPP discovers any more details about the gambling case, they will be reported and announced to the public by its representatives.

Previous Instances of Illegal Gambling

In the past, there have been other instances of Ontario authorities having to intervene in cases of gambling-related crimes. In February 2022, the Waterloo police department raided an illegal gambling house in Kitchener. By performing a warrant and it found around CA$36,000 in cash, poker chips, as well as gaming machines at the site.

According to police reports, there were around 500 poker chips which were approximately CA$10,000 in value, as well as two computers, cell phones, and surveillance equipment. Also, a 51-year-old Kitchener man and a 54-year-old Cambridge man were taken to court. They faced charges for running a gambling house, book-making, founding a gaming house, and possession of property obtained by crime.

A year prior to that, Toronto police successfully busted an illegal gambling den in the city’s centre. The officers answered a call about an individual seen carrying a firearm on Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. At the location, police found large amounts of cash and 14 individuals who were actively gambling and who were arrested.

Source: Rocca, Ryan “Dealer ‘in collusion’ with patrons at Woodbine Casino in Toronto leads to 5 arrests: police” Global News, April 4, 2023