Macao,
Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (17th
April 2007) – Venetian
Macau Limited, a subsidiary of Las Vegas sands Corp. (NYSE: LVSC), today
launches its Responsible Gaming Program to the public, which is officiated by Ip
Peng Kun, Director of MSAR Government Social Welfare Bureau and Mark Brown,
President of Sands Macao and The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. This program has run a successful pilot
scheme for the past three months at Sands Macao and is now ready to be shared
with a wider audience. The Responsible
Gaming Program is specially tailored for this environment in Macao, and aims at creating a healthy
atmosphere for people who come to Sands Macao.
“We believe it’s
important to address community concerns to minimize the potentially negative
impact on the quality of life here in Macao and in the wider region,” said Mark
Brown, President of Sands Macao and The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, “We pride
ourselves as a responsible corporate citizen, and we are committed to creating
awareness of potential problems by promoting a responsible gaming environment.”
The Responsible
Gaming Program, which was put into practice in February at Sands Macao this
year, is intended to create public awareness of a responsible gaming
environment. Las Vegas Sands Corp., working closely with key researchers at Harvard
School of Medicine, has previously launched its responsible gaming program
“Play Responsibly”, training more than 6,000 team members. Venetian Macau
Limited is now implementing a similar program that is culturally adapted to the
needs of Macao
and the specifics of this socio-economic environment.
Apart from
training the 9,000 team members at Sands Macao how to respond to guests’
requests and offer them information on how to obtain assistance related to
problem gambling, as part of our care, commitment and contribution, this
Responsible Gaming Program also offers customers guidance and help in the form
of providing leaflets at the cage areas throughout the whole casino, providing
self exclusion forms at the security podium, and putting up posters in various
locations in the property. These materials, other than creating an awareness of gaming responsibly, will also guide those in need to seek
professional assistance from The Resilience Centre – Problem Gambling
Prevention and Treatment Centre of the MSAR Government Social Welfare Bureau
and The Rehabilitation Centre for Problem Gamblers.
“Every team member is an integral part of our commitment to developing our responsible gaming program into one of the best in the world and all are dedicated to helping those guests who are in need of help, advice, or any other assistance we can provide to make their time here as pleasurable as possible,” said Mark Brown, “We are proud to have the industry’s most educated and dedicated work-force in Macao.”