A United States court has ordered Macau’s biggest casino operator to hand over sensitive documents it has been accused of withholding improperly as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit involving a former senior executive.

Nevada District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez also ordered Sands China, which operates the Venetian in Macau, to pay US$250,000 to legal charities and cover significant court costs incurred by Steven Jacobs, the former president of Sands Macau with whom it is in dispute.

Todd Bice, a lawyer for the former executive, said the judge’s order was an attempt to “level the playing field” in the legal tussle.

Sands China said it was disappointed by the court’s decision and did not believe it was supported by the evidence.

Ron Reese, a spokesman for Las Vegas Sands, said: “Sands China intends to seek review from a higher court”, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Gonzalez had previously ruled that Sands China violated her September 2012 order in the case by redacting the various documents.