British Colombia-based gaming operator Gateway Casinos and Entertainment expects 14 of its Ontario casinos, including those in London and Thunder Bay, to remain closed for “the coming days” after a recent cyber attack.

According to a Monday statement by Gateway, the company noticed a “cyber security incident” over the weekend, prompting the closure of its operations province-wide. A spokesperson added that the company is working to restore its IT systems and has enlisted third-party cyber professionals to help.

no indication of compromised private information or personal data

While Gateway offered reassurance that there was no indication of compromised private information or personal data, it said it was notifying relevant privacy officials as a precautionary measure. Gateway executive Rob Mitchell said his firm was “erring on the side of caution to make sure everything is operational.” He said that there is no reopening deadline.

Gateway only reopened its casinos in July 2021 after shuttering them for over a year in accordance with the provinces COVID-19 precautions.

Cyber attacks have become a major problem in the global gambling industry. In August 2022, a report by cybersecurity company Akamai confirmed that the frequency of these attacks had increased by 167% in just 12 months. This year, a UK cyber expert claimed Russians are behind the rise in hacks.