Systems are in place to keep crooks from trying to wash their dirty money in casinos.
That was the assurance given at an open house last week on the $70-million casino/hotel complex proposed for the Delta Town & Country Inn site in Ladner.
The city hosted its first open house last Thursday at the Harris Barn in Ladner where well over 100 attended, posing questions to Delta staff as well as representatives from Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. and the B.C. Lottery Corporation.
In addition to such issues as traffic, keeping the corrupt element out of a potential Delta casino was raised. It’s an issue brought up at previous open houses hosted by the casino company as well as letters of concern to council.
Gateway CAO Jag Nijjar, who’s been with the company for almost 25 years, told the Optimist that extensive surveillance and security at facilities is standard.
He explained casinos are to only issue cheques for verified wins to those who come in with large sums of cash.
“If you come with some money and you play a little bit, you can’t get a cheque for the money you came in with. I’d have to be able to verify through video surveillance or the supervisor that you actually played and won. If you come in with $10,000, you’re going to walk out with that same cash,” he said.
He also noted that cash transactions of $10,000 or more are reported if deemed suspicions, while new rules involve any transaction over $10,000 requiring proof of source of funds. That means a receipt from the bank.
“Most of our large players, the legitimate players, know the rules and come in with bank draft anyways,” he added.
BCLC notes that as part of its anti-money laundering program, casino staff, through government ID, confirm and record the identity and residence of customers buying in with large sums, work with police to proactively ban known gang associates, while the lottery corporation provides funding for the RCMP’s Joint Illegal Gaming Investigations Team.
A report commissioned by the former Liberal government but not made public until last fall found that authorities flagged transactions at Lower Mainland casinos, including approximately $13.5 million in $20 bills accepted at Richmond’s River Rock.
Former RCMP deputy commissioner Peter German was appointed by the NDP government to review policies on money laundering prevention. His report is due out next month.
