Sands China Ltd. announced on Sept. 25, 2023 a cooperation with Kakao Pay, described as South Korea's popular mobile payment and digital wallet service, and Macau Pass S.A., which the company said aims to facilitate ease of cross-border mobile payment for Korean travellers1. The announcement was made in Macao by the operator of The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao and The Londoner Macao1.
The company said visitors from Korea to all of its integrated resorts will now be able to stay, shop and play using the service1. Kakao Pay was first launched in 2014 and is currently available in almost 50 countries, allowing users to pay with a smartphone1. Sands China said the cooperation should help attract more visitors from what it called an important source market while supporting the Macao Government Tourism Office's tourism+ initiatives1.
A large-scale promotional campaign for Kakao Pay users visiting Macao was launched and runs until Sept. 30, timed to coincide with Korea's Chuseok festival, an annual holiday when the majority of Koreans travel1.
"We are delighted to partner with Kakao Pay and Macau Pass, to bring unparalleled offerings and seamless resort experiences to our Korean visitors. Korea is one of the top inbound tourism countries and The Venetian Macao and The Parisian Macao have long been favored by Korean guests, who are also drawn to our latest integrated resort, The Londoner Macao."
Sun Ho, Chairman and CEO of Macau Pass, said the arrangement helps create a connected international digital payment ecosystem for Macao by solving the problem of cross-border payment for international tourists1. Shin Won-geun, CEO of Kakao Pay, said cooperating with local partners in key travel destinations helps maintain the service's competitive edge and lets users pay conveniently while traveling1.
The announcement did not state which specific transactions or venues within the resorts accept Kakao Pay, nor whether the service can be used for gaming transactions. Those details have not been reported1.
What it means for players
For Korean visitors to Macao, the arrangement means a payment method familiar from home is accepted across Sands China's resorts, which the company frames around staying, shopping and playing1. Kakao Pay is a mobile wallet rather than a casino instrument, and the announcement does not say it can be used to buy chips, place bets or settle gaming debts1. Whether the wallet works at gaming tables, cages or slots inside the three properties is not addressed in the announcement1.
For locals and other visitors, nothing in the announcement changes existing payment options; the cooperation is described specifically for Korean travellers using Kakao Pay1. Travellers weighing how money moves in and out of Macao can read more in Money and Payments for Gambling in Macau and the wider Gambling Payments in Asia guide, which covers cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, crypto and withdrawals. Because Kakao Pay is a Korean wallet, its licensing and consumer protections sit with its home regulator rather than Macao's; Is Your E-Wallet or Payment Provider Licensed? sets out how licensing differs across Asia. Visitors from mainland China face separate rules on moving money into Macao, covered in RMB Carry Limit from China to Macau and Mainland China, Hong Kong Cross-Boundary Payment Linkage. For background on the market itself, see Can I Gamble in Macau? and Can I Gamble in South Korea?.
What happens next
The promotional campaign for Kakao Pay users visiting Macao runs until Sept. 30, 20231. Sands China did not announce any further phases, additional markets or expansion of the cooperation beyond Korean travellers1.
