Mr Andrew MacDonald, former Chief Casino Officer of Marina Bay Sands and former Chief Casino Officer of Resorts World Sentosa, contacted Inside Asian Gaming (IAG) on 5 November 2024, requesting that IAG organize an event he had named “Magiq After Dark” (MAD), which he planned to take place in Singapore on December 17.
At the time IAG was in the last few days of organizing the 17th Asian Gaming Power 50 event on Friday November 8, and therefore arranged a video call meeting with Mr MacDonald for Monday November 11 to discuss his request. At the very beginning of this video call Mr MacDonald asserted that he was “stealing” the “MAD” brand. On November 13, IAG politely wrote to Mr MacDonald advising him that IAG was not in a position to organize the event. Mr MacDonald acknowledged this correspondence on the morning of November 14.
On Monday November 18, at approximately 10am Singapore time, Mr MacDonald posted a video on social media under the text “Magiq After Dark – Singapore December 17”. In the video, Mr MacDonald refers to an event he calls “Magiq After Dark Singapore” and he says, “it’s going to be MAD”.
IAG sent Mr MacDonald a cease-and-desist letter at approximately 2:30pm Singapore time on November 18, giving him 48 hours to cease using the MAD brand, including removing the offending video posted earlier that day, which referred to the “MAD” brand.
As at the date and time of this statement, 3pm Singapore time on November 20, Mr MacDonald has failed to comply with the cease-and-desist letter. In fact, he has subsequently posted a number of videos to social media continuing to refer to the IAG brands “MAD” and “After Dark” without authorization to do so.
Most Asian gaming industry participants will be aware that “MAD” and “After Dark” (as in “Macau After Dark”, “Manila After Dark” and “MAD: Clark After Dark”) have been used by IAG for many years. IAG first conceptualized the “MAD” and “After Dark” brands in 2017, and significant internal brand developmental work was being carried out as far back as September 2018. IAG has conducted 25 MAD events since the first MAD event was held in February 2019, with multiple MAD events held every year during the six years from 2019 to 2024. The 26th and 27th MAD events will be held over the next 16 days.
The 27 events referred to above have been held, or are planned to be held, in Manila, Macau and Clark. Further expansion of the brand is contemplated, particularly in Asia-Pacific cities with integrated resorts, and all MAD events will be referred to as “MAD”, irrespective of the first letter of the name of the venue city.
IAG holds no personal animosity towards Mr MacDonald and wishes him well in his new business venture. We hope he is able to develop his own IP and assure him IAG will respect his company’s own intellectual property.
However, IAG condemns Mr MacDonald’s clear and intentional misappropriation of the “MAD” and “After Dark” brands, particularly in the context of gaming industry events in Asia. IAG has invested significant time and resources in building the “MAD” brand, and unauthorized use not only infringes upon our legal rights but also capitalizes on the reputation IAG has developed over many years.
We do not understand why Mr MacDonald feels the need to use IAG’s MAD brand in this way, and we respectfully urge him to develop his own brands and IP.
For the avoidance of any doubt, IAG categorically states that:
- IAG has not authorized Mr MacDonald to use the “MAD” or “After Dark” brands or any derivative thereof in any way, shape or form.
- IAG is not connected with the event proposed by Mr MacDonald in any manner.
- IAG has no business relationship with Mr MacDonald, Magiq Gaming Corp Pte Ltd, or any entity associated with Mr MacDonald.
IAG takes intellectual property theft and brand misappropriation extremely seriously. As an important matter of business ethics, IAG will continue to respect the IP of other companies in our industry, while continuing to protect our own IP rights, and urges all participants in the Asia-Pacific gaming industry to do the same.
Inside Asian Gaming
20 November 2024
(3pm Singapore time)
