Though Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem grossed the second highest slots income inside the state last year, and generated one of the most from table games, Wall Street gaming analysts say parent business Las Vegas Sands Corp. may possibly be trying to unload it to concentrate on developments in Asia and Europe.

The Las Vegas-based giant, which owns the Venetian and Palazzo about the Strip, was among the first main American gambling organizations to establish a presence in Macau, a tiny peninsula around the southeastern tip of China. It now has two megacasinos there.

Macau has become the world’s most lucrative gambling location, creating $38 billion in casino income final year. Steve Wynn and MGM Resorts International also have properties there.

But Las Vegas Sands has an additional hugely thriving home in Asia: the $5.9 billion Marina Bay Sands that opened in 2010 in Singapore to big crowds.

In addition, Las Vegas Sands chairman and chief executive Sheldon Adelson announced final year that he desires to invest $35 billion on building what he calls “a mini-Las Vegas Strip” in Spain to target the European market place.

“The organization is focusing on larger, international, integrated resort projects,” with hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, theaters and gaming floors all below one particular roof, said John Kempf, a gaming analyst with RBC Capital Markets L.L.C. “I assume they’ve operated this house effectively, but [they] can see how it could do greater inside the hands of an operator who can concentrate far more intensely on Bethlehem.”

Las Vegas Sands spokesman Ron Reese declined to comment on the situation.

If Sands Bethlehem alterations hands, it is going to be the fourth Pennsylania casino to do so. The Pennsylvania Gaming Handle Board has approved 3 other ownership changes.

The seven-member board approved the sale of Harrah’s Chester, now Harrah’s Philadelphia, to Hamlet Holdings L.L.C. in 2007; Rivers in Pittsburgh to Holdings Acquisition Co. L.P., which can be controlled by Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm, in 2008; and Mount Airy Casino Resort for the DeNaples family members trust last year.

“Given the concentration of money flow they have that comes from Asia, and the little amount that comes from Bethlehem, need to they locate a purchaser at their price, it will be a wise sale,” said analyst Andrew Zarnett of Deutsche Bank AG.

In-state and interstate competition is developing for the Bethlehem gambling hall. You’ll find new casinos planned for the Catskills in New York, plus 1 more in Philadelphia.

“The bottom line is the property has performed particularly nicely,” Zarnett said, “and with expense of capital very low, now could be a pristine time to discover a buyer prepared to pay a full cost.”

The Bethlehem casino generated $291.five million in gross slots income last year, second inside the state only to Parx in Bensalem. Nevertheless it led the 11 venues in table games revenue with $146.5 million.

Las Vegas Sands has invested about $850 million in the home seeing that it debuted in mid-May 2009 around the website from the former Bethlehem Steel plant, such as adding a hotel and outlet mall inside the last two years.