Sands China Wraps 2023 After Strong Responsible Gaming Efforts

(Macao, Feb 19, 2024) – Sands China's responsible gaming efforts and achievements in 2023 were noteworthy, as the company continued its work to promote responsible gaming among its team members and the community.

"As an integrated resort operator, it is our responsibility to raise awareness of the importance of responsible gaming among our team members and the community," said Dr. Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd. "Looking back over the past year, we have promoted the understanding of responsible gaming through donations to support local social service organisations, training sessions, and workshops. Sands China will carry this momentum forward in the year ahead and beyond, and we look forward to continue working with local organisations to help promote responsible gaming and the sustainable and healthy development of the industry.

Responsible Gaming Implementation Model Unit
Two of Sands China's gaming areas, The Plaza Casino and The Parisian Casino, passed the Responsible Gambling Indicators programme initiated by the Macao SAR government and were awarded the qualification of Responsible Gaming Implementation Model Unit in 2023, making Sands China the first gaming operator to earn the qualification in 2023. The Venetian Casino and The Londoner Casino achieved the same in 2022, affirming the strength of the company's responsible gambling measures.

Donations
In 2023, Sands China donated a total of MOP 1,000,000 to five local nongovernmental organisations in Macao to actively promote a culture of responsible gaming in the community. The donations helped support the NGOs' various responsible gaming efforts, including parent-child responsible gaming and financial management activities, roadshows, workshops, trainings, sharing sessions, responsible gaming promotional videos and quiz games, and more. The NGOs were the Young Men's Christian Association of Macau, the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office, the Macao Gaming Industry Employees Home, the Youth Volunteers Association of Macao, and the Bosco Youth Service Network.

Since 2006, Sands China has made responsible gaming donations each year as part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility, totalling more than MOP 7.2 million to date, supporting the sustainable development of the gaming industry, and raising public awareness of responsible gambling to the community.

Roadshows
Sands China held 46 responsible gaming roadshows at the back-of-house team member areas of its properties in 2023, attracting over 30,000 team members in total. The roadshows introduced team members to the responsible gaming services of the five aforementioned NGOs, educated them on common gambling myths, shared the latest responsible gaming information, and enhanced their responsible gaming knowledge through interactive ways.

Training
In caring for the physical and mental well-being of our team members and to help them support their families and our guests, Sands China held a variety of responsible gaming trainings during the year, comprising 25,000 total training hours and 23,500 participants. Attendees included both frontline and back-of-house team members and the Sands China Responsible Gaming Ambassadors.

Among the trainings was the 8th Responsible Gaming Ambassador Advanced Training, in which professor Bo J. Bernhard, a responsible gambling expert at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), gave a face-to-face lecture on responsible gambling expertise and skills to team members. For the RG 360 – Macao Responsible Gaming Specialist Ambassador Course, the University of Macau was invited to conduct professional responsible gaming training with Macao characteristics to enhance team members' awareness of responsible gaming incidents and provide more appropriate support services to guests. For Sands China's Frontline TMs Responsible Gaming Training, responsible gambling information was introduced through explanations, games, and video plays to enable frontline staff to deepen their understanding of the impact of gambling disorders, consolidate their accurate financial management concepts, and use the knowledge they have learned to serve customers.

Parent-Child Event Series
Sands China held six parent-child events in 2023 comprising a total of 1,300 participants, with an objective to strengthen communication and understanding among families. Among the lessons learned were sound financial management concepts and beneficial financial management habits, which can inject positive energy into family life – contributing to building a harmonious community together. Activities included the first responsible gaming carnival in Macao, the Sands China Responsible Gaming Parent-Child Happy Carnival; Parent-child Adventure Experience Day; and Parent-child Family Financial Management Competition Day, among others.

These and other efforts are initiatives of the Sands Responsible Gaming Academy, which is committed to promoting the education and well-being of its guests and team members, in recognition of the importance of responsible gaming in 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.

The Sands Responsible Gaming Academy is one of eight sub-academies under the umbrella of the Sands China Academy – a comprehensive talent development platform established by Sands China for its team members and local industry professionals. In addition to providing diversified training programmes for team members, the academy collaborates with local and international tertiary educational institutions to promote the development of professionals in various industries in Macao.