Great Canadian Entertainment’s Elements Casino Surrey has been ranked No. 1 in Canada and second internationally by the Responsible Gambling Council’s RG Check accreditation program for its approach to responsible gambling.
The RGC describes RG Check as the most comprehensive responsible gambling accreditation program in the world. Developed by the council in consultation with policymakers, gambling providers, players and people who have experienced gambling harm, the certification evaluates land-based gambling venues and iGaming operators on their responsible gambling practices.
RG Check assesses gaming facilities on a set of best-practice criteria, including player safeguards, staff training, self-exclusion options, advertising standards and continuous improvement practices. Operators must achieve 50% in each standard area and 70% overall to be accredited. The RGC says it aims not only to attest to gambling operators’ existing efforts but also to help them determine the actions they need to take to improve.
In all, 10 Great Canadian casinos achieved reaccreditation in October, the coast-to-coast land-based operator announced:
- Great Canadian Casino Vancouver, Chances Maple Ridge, Elements Casino Surrey and River Rock Casino Resort in B.C.
- Elements Casino Brantford, Casino Ajax, Elements Casino Mohawk and Great Blue Heron Casino & Hotel in Ontario
- Casino Nova Scotia Halifax and Casino Nova Scotia Sydney in Nova Scotia
“Receiving RG Check reaccreditation at 10 of our properties in October is a tremendous milestone,” said Great Canadian Entertainment Social Responsibility and Sustainability Manager Keno Maseli. “Responsible gambling is at the heart of our operations, and this recognition reaffirms our unwavering commitment to ensuring our guests can enjoy safe, fun and sustainable experiences.
“This achievement is also a testament to the work of our team members, the Responsible Gambling Council and our Crown partners in setting the high standards of excellence in player protection across our entire portfolio.”
The RGC did not confirm to Canadian Gaming Business which casino took the top spot globally, as sharing scores is at the discretion of operators.
RG Check baked into Ontario iGaming requirements
RG Check accreditation lasts for three years before the recipients must go through the process again to re-earn the certification. Several of the Great Canadian’s other casinos currently enrolled in the RG Check program will undergo the reaccreditation process later this year and in 2026 as part of their annual assessment cycle.
The RGC first introduced RG Check in the 2010s and expanded it from land-based casinos to iGaming platforms when Ontario opened Canada’s first regulated iGaming market in 2022.
In March 2022, before Ontario opened its doors, a commitment to achieve RG Check accreditation was embedded into iGaming Ontario’s requirements for all operators seeking to enter the market. Some iGaming operators went through the process in advance of entering the market, while others such as Caesars earned it after starting to do online business in the province.
The RGC said last year that in 2024, it accredited more operators than ever before, handing out at least 44 new accreditations. The council’s Senior Vice President of Accreditation, Advisory and Insights Tracy Parker told Canadian Gaming Business earlier this year that the more it accredits operators, the more it learns.
“As we’ve been processing all of those operators, we’ve been learning a lot and doing some work on an update to the accreditation program to make sure it’s keeping up,” she said. “We’ve done stakeholder expert interviews, player surveys, public consultations, research and reviews, all with the aim of pulling together the evidence base that exists to make sure that the standards that we’re assessing operators against are meaningful and relevant and robust.”
