Drake accuses Vancouver casino of racial profiling

Business issues an apology after rapper blasts it for not letting him gamble Drake was in Vancouver to perform two concerts over the weekend.

Canadian rapper Drake has accused a casino in Vancouver of racially profiling him.

Early Saturday morning, the chart-topping musician took to Instagram to vent after a night out at the Parq Vancouver. Emoticons of exasperation ensued.

“Parq casino @parqvancou- verbc is the worst run business I have ever witnessed … profiling me and not allowing me to gamble when I had everything they originally asked me for,” the post read.

Drake landed in Vancouver on Friday, a stop in his Aubrey and the Three Migos Tour. He was scheduled to perform two concerts over the weekend.

Parq casino is currently investigating the incident, and posted an apology on Instagram Saturday.

“Parq Vancouver is sorry to hear about this experience and takes these matters very seriously. We are required to adhere to strict regulations with respect to gaming in British Columbia,” it said, adding it had made efforts to reach “the customer and his team to discuss the issue.”

The casino operates in one of the most complex, highly regulated industries in Canada. An RCMP report found evidence of money laundering in B.C. casinos linked to organized crime, drug importing, distribution and trafficking.

Now, players who want to buy in for $10,000 or more in one or more transactions within a 24hour period must provide a source-of-funds receipt. The original receipt must be from the same day as the transaction and show the financial institution, branch number and account number.

According to the province’s gambling laws, regulations and policies, if a casino in B.C. allows a person to play without adhering to those strict new rules, it could lose its gambling licence.

“On behalf of Parq Vancouver we would like to apologize for the experience our customer had,” Joe Brunini, the president of Parq Vancouver, wrote in a press release emailed to the Star. “We categorically stand against racism of any kind. We are committed to providing a safe, secure and enjoyable experience for all.”