14 Ontario land-based casinos had to shut their doors on Sunday, 16th April, after a Cyberattack that took down the casinos’ IT system.
This meant the closure of the famous Casino Rama, one of the largest casinos in Ontario. Keep reading to find out more about the Gateway Casinos cyber attack!
Cyber Attack on Ontario Gateway Casinos
A cyber attack on Gateway Casinos and Entertainment venues in Ontario brought their IT systems down, forcing the casinos to halt all operations and temporarily close their doors.
In a statement issued by the company: “We have retained third-party cyber professionals who are working 24/7 to help us restore the IT environment. Our upmost concern is the protection of personal data and information. At this point, we do not have any information indicating that this incident involves any compromise of personal data. However, we are in the process of notifying the relevant privacy officials and gaming regulator of the incident.”
It is unclear whether a privacy breach has occurred and the workers’ union is concerned about how this attack might affect its members.
Casino Rama, the company’s flagship, was the hardest hit, with two major concerts postponed for Chris de Burgh and Warrant, Quiet Riot and Helix.
The company’s many properties within the provinces of Alberts and British Colombia have remained unaffected, open to the public and fully operational.
Who is Gateway Casinos and Entertainment?
Located in Burnaby, British Colombia, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment is one of the largest casino operators in Canada.
In total, it has 29 land-based casinos spread between Ontario and British Colombia, with two more in Alberta.
Its flagship casino, Casino Rama is a First Nations resort launched in 1996 and is considered a premier destination for both gambling and other forms of entertainment.