The Sands Macau was the first Las Vegas Sands Group hotel to open in Asia and is still one of the most frequented casinos on the peninsula. So for a decade it has helped make Macau the world’s new casino gaming capital.

History and description of the Sands Macau

At the end of 2001, Sheldon Adelson, Chairman of the Sands Las Vegas Group made clear his plans to conquer the Asian market. He made his mark on Las Vegas with the opening of the Venetian in 1999 so he was convinced that the Asian market was where he could find a new clientele and he also believed that the exotic atmosphere would attract major gamblers. He chose Macau as the destination for his new project due to its excellent security and its stable financial situation. There was, however, a problem: at the time the Hong Kong born millionaire Stanley Ho held the gaming monopoly on the island. Adelson used his influence and his fame to come up with a solution and as a result, in 2002, along with several other American casino operators he was granted permission to set up in Macau. That same year he started the construction of the Sands Macau which is named after the famous Vegas casino which was demolished to be replaced by The Venetian. Since Adelson was just “testing the waters” with this casino he “only” invested 240 million dollars in it. He opened the Sands Hotel and Casino on the 18th of May 2004.

In order to make his Asian clientele feel at home his team was made up mainly of Asian dealers and managers who had gained their experience on cruise ships or in land based casinos in Asian capital cities and so had great knowledge of the Asian versions of the games. This strategy paid off and within a year Adelson had recouped his investment and made quite a profit. The huge size of the Sands Macau Casino also contributed to these results with 15 300m2 of slot machines and several hundred gaming tables. It was extended to 21 300m2 in 2006 and until the same company opened the Venetian Macau, it was the largest casino in the world. The hotel only has 51 suites since it is aimed at middle class Chinese players who come to the casino during the day. In any case, Adelson’s strategy paid off because early on The Sands Macau’s income surpassed its Vegas counterpart.

The Sands Macau’s services and attractions

For its clients’ comfort the Sands Macau offers many services and attractions including:

• 5 restaurants: The COPA Steakhouse, Golden Court, EDO Japanese Restaurant, 888 Gourmet Place and Quick Eats,
• A spa,
• A bar : The Xanadu where various shows are presented,
• A theatre : The Sands Theatre.

The Sands Macau Casino

Now covering a gaming area of over 21 000m2 the Sands Macau offers its players a very wide range of games with more than 1250 slot machines of all types and 740 gaming tables. The casino also has a loyalty scheme which allows access to a club with three levels offering different bonuses and promotions to enjoy the complexes many services.