Sands China has issued a statement saying it is not associated with a an online gambling website in Guangdong Province that is using the name “Sands Macao.”
Earlier this month, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department said it’s cracking down on cross-border gambling and named two offenders, including Sands Macao.
According to GGRAsia, Guangdong’s security officials have investigated and handled 966 cross-border gambling cases, arrested 1,034 suspects, destroyed 836 online gambling platforms and eliminated illegal payment platforms since China launched its crackdown last year. It also said it has seized a large volume of finds from more than 200 underground banks, 60 illegal technical service teams and 70 gambling promotion platforms.
The so-called Sands group is alleged to have recruited Chinese citizens overseas to engage in online gambling game development, customer service operation and maintenance activities while recruiting Chinese citizens to engage in criminal gambling activities through online and offline forms.
“At present, Guangdong public security organs have arrested many people involved in the case, but there are still some criminal suspects at large,” the department stated.
Sands China says it is “not affiliated in any way” with its Sands Macao property on the Macau peninsula, or with the company as a whole.
“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. “Sands China Ltd. 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.”
Guangdong officials say those involved in the online operation should surrender by April 30 if they expect lenient treatment. China’s Ministry of Public Security has suggested it will be more forgiving of suspects who turn themselves in.
“Public security organs will severely punish those who refuse to surrender and continue to engage in cross-border gambling and related illegal and criminal activities,” it said.
China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism last year announced that it had established a “blacklist” of overseas tourist destinations it said were attracting Chinese tourists for gambling activities.
