Warnings issued after fake Sands Macao website surfaces
A Macau casino operator has distanced itself from an online gambling website that is using its brand.
Gambling Insider reports that the fraudulent site operates under the “Sands Macao” name and is based out of Guangdong Province.
“Sands Online Gambling Corp is using our company’s property name and trademarks without our permission and in breach of the law,” Sands China said, and noted that the company “does not engage in online gambling activities of any kind and vigorously pursues all reports of trademark infringement.”
“All websites purporting to offer online gaming and using our brands are fake and should be reported to the relevant authorities immediately.”
The statement was released after Guangdong police began investigating two cases of online gambling business, one of which is the Sands Macao that illegitimately exploited the brand name and is said to be active since 2020.
According to the Guangdong public security department, the group recruited mainland China residents and sent them abroad to develop online gambling games and engage in customer service, thus facilitating cross-border gambling involving players from the mainland.
China recently began enacting its ban on cross-border gambling, including punishing anyone associated with the activity.
The government also compiled a list of blacklisted foreign tourist destinations that are said to negatively impact Chinese citizens.
Sands eyes off greater Singapore investment
Major global casino operator Las Vegas Sands is poised to invest more heavily into the Singapore market, following the sale of its Vegas assets.
GGR Asia reported in March that the group’s president and chief operating officer Patrick Dumont made the announcement, following its decision to sell off its Las Vegas gaming and non-gaming assets for US$6.25 billion.
The deal includes the Venetian Resort Las Vegas and the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
Las Vegas Sands is the parent of Macau casino operator Sands china and of Marina Bay Sands, the operator of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands casino resort.
Mr Dumont told investors that the company was keen in investing more in Singapore given the return profile of that market.
“Given the Las Vegas transaction, we are looking to invest more in Singapore at this point,” said the executive.
“We are very privileged to have reached an agreement for a new development there, for expanding Marina Bay Sands,” he added.
Las Vegas Sands is to invest an additional US$3.3 billion to expand Marina Bay Sands in return for an extension, until the existing duopoly, of its gaming rights in Singapore.
The company will build a fourth tower adjacent to its existing complex.
The expansion plans also include a 15,000-seat arena and a new luxury all-suite hotel with about 1,000 rooms, topped with a sky roof.
“We are very focused on Marina Bay Sands. We also intend to invest significantly in the existing towers, to ensure that the property remains competitive in the future,” he said.
Robert Goldstein, Las Vegas Sands’ chairman and chief executive, also said on the JP Morgan forum that the company was “eager to deploy capital and reinvest” in Macau and Singapore, “where the return on investment is higher than in Las Vegas.”
“I believe the Macau government, as part of the licence renewal process, will come to us and mandate, or ask us, to spend more dollars, large capital dollars to grow our business, which we would be delighted to spend as much as they want,” Mr Goldstein said.
