Sands China Supports Govt’s Responsible Gambling Promotions 2019
(Macao,
January
5, 2020) –
Sands China Ltd. has
been undertaking several initiatives in
support of Responsible Gambling Promotions
2019, the annual campaign organised by the
MSAR Social Welfare Bureau, the MSAR Gaming
Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ),
and the University of Macau’s Institute for
the Study of Commercial
Gaming.
Sands China
commenced its Responsible Gaming 2019
activities in August, with the company’s
internal campaign wrapping up in November.
The promotion is aimed at encouraging
responsible gaming behaviour and increasing
team members’ awareness of problem
gambling.
“Responsible gaming
continues to be one of our most important
corporate strategic actions,” said Dr.
Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd.
“As Macao has grown and thrived over the
last 20 years, it has remained essential for
gaming operators to safeguard the wellbeing
of Macao’s locals and visitors by promoting
responsible gaming. Sands China is proud of
the dedicated efforts of our team members in
helping us carry out our corporate social
responsibility in this area, and we are very
pleased to continue supporting the
government’s responsible gaming initiatives
each
year.”
Additionally, the
Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services
Coordination Office, YMCA Macau, the Macao
Association for Juvenile Volunteers (AJVM)
and the Gaming Employees’ Home (GEH) held
roadshows at various times between August
and November 2019 at Sands® Macao, The
Venetian® Macao, Sands® Cotai Central and
The Parisian Macao. The roadshows helped
team members learn more about the local
organisations’ responsible gaming services,
including Sheng Kung Hui’s 24-hour gambling
counselling hotline and its online gambling
counselling services. The GEH booth promoted
the benefits of the voluntary Casino Entry
Ban and the organisation’s related
responsible gaming
services.
These roadshows seek
to increase awareness among team members of
responsible gaming and to encourage those
dealing with gambling disorders to seek help
as soon as possible.
Responsible-gaming-related games and
activities were also part of the roadshows,
which reached a total of nearly 10,000 team
members in
total.
Sands China is also
setting up Responsible Gaming Ambassador
Walls at Sands Macao, The Venetian Macao,
Sands Cotai Central and The Parisian Macao
in December in recognition of the company’s
Responsible Gaming Ambassadors, including
its latest batch of more than 120 team
members, bringing the total number of
Responsible Gaming Ambassadors to nearly
650. Team members become ambassadors by
completing an advanced training course to
enhance their knowledge of problem gambling
and awareness of the importance of
responsible gaming, equipping them with the
tools to more effectively support the
company’s and the community’s responsible
gaming
efforts.
Sands China Ltd. has
offered the Responsible Gaming Ambassador
advanced training for seven straight years,
supplementing the company-wide responsible
gaming training delivered to each of Sands
China’s more than 29,000 team members. The
elite programme is the only one in Macao
done in coordination with the University of
Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). In addition, the
company has conducted monthly responsible
gaming trainings in order to educate team
members to avoid gambling risk, develop
positive money management habits, and
provide assistance customers in
need.
And in May,
September and November, Sands China’s
Responsible Gaming Ambassadors took part in
responsible gaming promotional activities
organised by the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social
Coordination Services Office at three higher
education institutes, including The
University of Saint Joseph and Macao
Polytechnic Institute. Activities included
students experiencing a 180-degree virtual
reality movie on gambling disorders followed
by group discussion on the harmful effects
of problem
gaming.
Sands China also
donated a total of MOP 550,500 to three
local responsible gaming centres in December
to support their responsible gaming efforts:
YMCA Macau, the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social
Services Coordination Office, and the Macau
Industrial Evangelistic Fellowship. The
donations have been an annual practice since
2008.
Sands China remains
committed to the well-being of its guests
and recognises the importance of responsible
gaming to the Macao community. Sands China
was the first gaming operator in Macao to
launch a self-exclusion programme in 2004,
and was a pioneer in including responsible
gaming training in its company-wide team
member orientation programme. Sands China
established its comprehensive responsible
gaming programme in 2007, with the goals of
contributing to the continuous development
of the Macao community, bearing corporate
responsibility in addressing social issues
and developing an environment and a culture
of responsible gaming in Macao.
Photo caption: Sands China
Ltd. presents ceremonial cheques totalling MOP 550,500 to
three local responsible gaming centres Dec. 13, 2019 in
support of their responsible gaming efforts, as part of the
company’s Responsible Gaming 2019
activities
Photo caption: Sands China
team members visit responsible gaming roadshows between
September and October held by Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social
Services Coordination Office at The Venetian Macao (left)
and by Gaming Employees’ Home at Sands Cotai Central
(right). The activities are part of Sands China’s support of
the Macao SAR government’s Responsible Gambling Promotions
2019 initiative.