[JoshW]

WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS.N: Quote, Profile , Research), the No. 1 casino company by market value, said on Monday it would work with Cantor Gaming to launch a casino Web site, initially aimed at serving the UK market.

The move comes as U.S. authorities crack down on Internet gambling, cutting off what had been the most important market for gambling Web sites.

Las Vegas Sands said the Web site, which is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2007, will not accept U.S. customers. It will feature the company's brands, including The Venetian, Sands, Palazzo and Paiza.

Cantor Gaming is an affiliate of financial services company Cantor Fitzgerald.

In Europe, regular online gamblers stake nearly 3.5 billion pounds ($6.9 billion) a year, an average of 1,000 pounds each, according to UK government figures.

"This is another opportunity for our company to create greater awareness of our global brands and further establish our presence and interest in the UK market," Las Vegas Sands Chief Operating Officer Bill Weidner said in a statement. "As the Internet gaming landscape continues to evolve, this effort will put us in a strong position to evaluate and react to other potential opportunities."

An effort by rival MGM Mirage Inc. (MGM.N: Quote, Profile , Research) to run an online gambling Web site did not succeed a few years ago, as the company was not allowed to tap the U.S. market. MGM launched PlayMGMMirage.com in 2001, but shut it down in 2003. (1 pound=$1.978)

[Bill Dozer]

We need this site online before the next WTO hearing. This way Antigua can start their opening arguments:

"So, Let me get this straight...."

[bigboydan]

I can't say i'm shocked at this one at all. We all knew something like this was comming at some point. I'm just suprised it was done so soon after that bill passed.

Gee, I wonder how long it will be before we actually see these places cater to the U.S. player base

[Sam Odom]

I remember MGM's attemp. It was casino gms only no sports. With hope I signed up using a mex. address/phone

[bigboydan]

I remember MGM's attemp. It was casino gms only no sports. With hope I signed up using a mex. address/phone

I recall something about this one Sam, and I believe it was feature in that 60 minutes offshore gambling piece, but I thought it was Ceasars though. Anyways, I remember the guy being interviewed saying he couldn't compete in the UK markets because they couldn't accept U.S. players.

[Justin7]

This blows me away.

Maybe they'll open it to US people too, with servers in each state... no "interstate gambling" then.

*rolls his eyes*

[JoshW]

If their lawyers think they can get away with this, I would think a lot of books will follow suit. The international audience alone will be good and sets them up to be ready if there is ever a legal way to go after the US market.