Representatives of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. presented a proposal to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board just yesterday to seek approval to add new gaming options to the Sands Bethlehem property. Sands would like to see live dealer electronic table gaming options such as those found in Macau to be added to the Pennsylvania gaming facility.

This type of electronic table games are a stadium-style which can allow as many as 150 players at one time. To play, the games only require four to eight players, for both card and roulette games. Players who take part in the gaming option can wager on as many as four games at one time and will be paid winnings on an individual terminal that is connected to the electronic table game (ETG).

In Macau, the ETG have been very popular, especially since the government has a cap on the number of traditional table gaming options allowed for live game play per property. With the ETG, operators in Macau can offer the same type of gaming at a lower cost since fewer dealers are needed. In Pennsylvania, the Sands Bethlehem is the leader when it comes to table gaming revenues with no table cap.

During the presentation, Mark Juliano, the Sands President, stated that if the plan for ETG is approved, the Pennsylvania casino would have to relocate 122 of the slot machines but would not be decreasing the slot game or table gaming options from their current configuration. Juliano also stated that there would be no reduction in the number of staff on site, with an additional 50 employees hired which would include dealers.

Juliano pointed out that with the ETG, lower minimum bets would be allowed which would free up the traditional table gaming options to betters who wager higher limits. The Las Vegas properties of the Sands already offers ETG and the systems have been approved in other states including Ohio, New Jersey and West Virginia.