Sands Sees Smart Tables As Key To Patron Insights

Las Vegas Sands is treating smart gaming tables as the opening to a new level of patron data, with chairman and chief executive Patrick Dumont saying the technology is central to the business intelligence that he sees as the company’s biggest artificial intelligence opportunity. He said the operator has been investing in the system for more than 8 years and still views it as early in its development.

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Data And Table Analytics

Dumont made the remarks on Thursday during a fireside chat at the Bernstein 42nd Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York. He said the company sees 3 main ways AI could affect the business, through proprietary tools, staff efficiency and business intelligence, but said the biggest opportunity lies in understanding customer behavior.

He described that as a frontier linked directly to Sands’ smart gaming tables. Dumont said the combination of RFID and optical technology allows the company to be precise about what is happening at the table. He also said the program has been very successful, even if the efficiency gains are still at an early stage.

Different Technical Path

The company’s approach differs from its rivals in Macau. Sands China uses a smart table system supplied by Japan’s Angel Group across its Macau properties, while the other 5 concessionaires have adopted technology from US firm Walker Digital Table Systems. Industry sources indicate that smart tables now cover virtually all baccarat tables in the Macau market.

The 2 systems use different technical methods. Walker Digital relies on a pure RFID solution, while Angel combines RFID with optical capture, using cameras for motion tracking and pose recognition. Angel’s system has been deployed across thousands of tables at Sands China properties including The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao and The Londoner Macao.

Dumont said the objective is to bring table analytics closer to the level already available on the slot side. He said that would improve both security and the patron experience.

No Online Gaming Push

Dumont also said Sands has no intention of moving into online gaming, even through brand licensing. He said the company is focused on what it does best and will not pursue businesses that fall outside its core.

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That position comes as the group continues to develop its capital strategy in Macau. Dumont said the wider technology drive sits alongside a positive long-term view of the market and a continued willingness to invest there.

Macau Investment Focus

Dumont said he has a very positive outlook for Macau over the next 3, 5 and 10 years, and that this is why the company remains confident about further investment. Sands is focusing spending on 3 areas: product, people and service.

He said the company is working to introduce products that better meet the needs of higher-value patrons, noting that there is still a shortage of premium capacity in the most exclusive parts of the market. He also said Sands is working to optimize its premium mass and base mass operations. Dumont pointed to a wealthier returning customer base, saying many patrons have built significant wealth over the past 5 years on the back of growth in China and Southeast Asia.

Dumont stated that Sands has set the targets of achieving between $2.7 billion and $2.8 billion in Macau’s property EBITDA, which could be achieved by expansion and increasing capacity, particularly in the premium market segment. Currently, the Venetian Macau is undergoing refurbishment, and the revamped rooms will go live after the next 18 months, to be completed by 2027. Sands said in April that it was refreshing hotel rooms at the property and adding luxury suites.

Dumont described Macau as a product-driven market and said that before The Venetian was built, gross gaming revenue on Cotai was zero. Sands China reported net income of $294 million for the first quarter of 2026, up from $202 million a year earlier, while adjusted property EBITDA rose to $633 million from $535 million.

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Source: Asia Gaming Brief