Casino executive Andrew MacDonald banned from Marina Bay Sands over high-roller claims

A former Gold Coast casino manager is embroiled in a “whale poaching” dispute with a global gaming company, which has banned him from entering one of the world’s best known resorts.

A former Gold Coast casino manager is embroiled in a “whale poaching” dispute with a global gaming company, which has banned him from entering one of the world’s best known resorts.

Andrew MacDonald, a manager of the Gold Coast casino when it was known as Jupiters, is not allowed to set foot in any part of Marina Bay Sands – the renowned casino, resort and shopping precinct in the Asian tourism powerhouse of Singapore.

Mr MacDonald posted a copy of a “personal non grata notice” issued by the Sands, where he had worked in executive roles for more than a decade until 2021.

He said the casino’s managers had wrongly accused him of luring billionaire gamblers – sometimes called “whales” – to rival Resorts World Sentosa, where he is currently vice president and chief casino officer.

Andrew MacDonald - Executive Vice President, Casino, Marina Bay Sands

A photo of a "persona non grata notice" issued to Andrew MacDonald by Marina Bay Sands.

Mr MacDonald said Marina Bay Sands was a 10-minute walk from his home.

“Obviously I denied (poaching customers), during that week I was there, my friend was in town,” he said.

“The most convenient location to catch up was Marina Bay Sands.”

Mr MacDonald said he and his wife were frequent visitors to the resort’s shops and restaurants because they lived so close.

He said he had visited five times for meals while their friend, former Crown casino colleague Mike Sugrue, was visiting during the week which sparked the ban.

“I was a good food and beverage customer there that week, I probably spent a few thousand dollars – none of the meals were complimentary, they were all paid for by me,” he said.

“They know who I am, I worked there for 11 and a half years, so as soon as I set foot on the property they monitor my activity more than anyone else.”

Marina Bay, Singapore.

Mr MacDonald said he had bumped into two high rollers, including a multi-billionaire Chinese businessman, by chance during his visits.

“I don’t speak Chinese – he said hello, I said ni hao,” he said.

“I walked off in the opposite direction.

‘The other one walked past our table while we were eating and stopped for a couple of minutes to have a chat – that was it.”

Marina Bay Sands did not answer specific questions about Mr MacDonald’s ban.

“Restricting anyone from our premises is not a decision that we take lightly,” it said in a statement.

“We have robust protocols to assess the merits of such action.

“The factors behind a decision of this nature are confidential.”

Originally published as Casino executive Andrew MacDonald banned from Marina Bay Sands over high-roller claims